• Premier League

'Bad' year didn't influence my retirement, says Giggs

Ryan Giggs found it difficult to cope with a dual role as player-coach under David Moyes © PA Photos

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Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs has told the Daily Telegraph that a "bad" final season at the club did not swing his decision to retire from playing.

Giggs, who made a record 963 appearances for United, took over as interim manager for four matches at Old Trafford after the sacking of David Moyes last season, winning two with one defeat and one draw.

"I'd had bad seasons and disappointing seasons before - last year was bad, yes, but it had no influence on my decision whatsoever," Giggs told the newspaper.

"I have never been one to look back. I think, having done the [manager's] job at the end of last season, that finally made up my mind to retire because I enjoyed it and I knew I was ready for the next step.

"I didn't miss playing that much, so it helped, in that respect, to clearly make up my mind that I was ready to finish. The way last season went had nothing to do with it really.

"It would have been nice to go out on a high, but that had no bearing on it really. I just hadn't missed playing as much as I thought I would and I was ready for the next step."

Giggs is the most decorated player in the history of English football after winning 13 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice.

He was given a player-coach role under Moyes before predecessor Louis van Gaal named Giggs as his assistant following the Welshman's decision to retire last May.

Giggs admitted he found it difficult balancing two roles last season: "This season, I know where my full focus is. I definitely feel closer to management now. Even in that short space of time, two or three weeks, whatever it was, I learned so much and it was just an unbelievable experience for me."

United endured a difficult beginning to Van Gaal's reign but Giggs feels Saturday's 2-1 victory at Arsenal could prove a defining result.

He said: "We are slowly getting there and Arsenal was a big game to win. It was the first away win, against one of the bigger teams, and it was a challenge we met."

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