• Premier League

Giggs 'wasn't ready' for United job

Ryan Giggs won two out of his four games in charge as Manchester United interim manager © PA Photos

Enlarge

Ryan Giggs believes he was not ready for the Manchester United job when he took over as caretaker-manager at Old Trafford last season.

Giggs took the reins at United after David Moyes was sacked with four matches of the season left, winning two, drawing one and losing one. He is now preparing for life as Louis van Gaal's assistant and insists there were certain things about the job that made him realise he needed further experience.

"When I took the job, there were a lot of things that I was quite happy with, but there was the odd thing where I thought 'I'm not quite ready for this.' Well it wasn't that I wasn't ready for it, but I could do with a little bit more experience," Giggs told thefa.com.

"I have gained that experience from Sir Alex [Ferguson] but last year I was still playing so I wasn't really focused on the coaching and the other side of things.

"This year I can put everything into it and learn from someone who has managed at the top in so many other countries. It has been a good thing that I have been with Sir Alex for so long but also I am now getting to see how other people work as well. I got a taste of David Moyes and now Louis van Gaal this year."

Giggs, who is completing his Pro Licence, has since hung up his boots after an illustrious career but was still playing at the time of his elevation last season - an adjustment he struggled to deal with.

"I mean there was just so much to do," he said. "Before training you are in at half seven and by the time half ten had come you were knackered.

"Because I was still a player I just wanted to make the players aware that I was the club manager and get that distance away from them initially to say, 'I am not joining in training, I am looking to see what you are doing.' You can't really do that if you are getting involved.

"Initially that was my feeling - not get involved with training and see how they were all performing. The majority of the lads were all fit so I had plenty to choose from so I wanted to get a good look. If you are involved and in the middle of it you don't quite get the same look."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd