Giggs buggers off
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Just as David Beckham is relaunching his England career, his former teammate Ryan Giggs has decided that Saturday's game against the Czech Republic will be his last for Wales.

The idea of 'retiring' from international football has always struck me as odd. I don't think any self-respecting countryman should give up on the chance to represent his nation.

In truth, Giggs has always been a bit iffy about turning out for Wales. And if he's not keen on carrying on, he should take his hairy little frame back to Manchester for good. He's the captain, for God's sake. What sort of message does that give out? If at first you don't succeed, give up and have a personalitiless sulk with Paul Scholes?

The bailing out culture of modern football has got to stop. These guys are paid astronomical amounts of money and whether they like it or not they are role models to children all over the globe. With John Toshack snubbing experienced pros and experienced pros snubbing John Toshack, there's a real lack of quality in the current Wales camp. Giggs is hanging us out to dry.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 4:50 pm,

27 Comments:

At 5:25 pm, Blogger Marcusian said...

I think you have got this wrong my man...

Giggs will be too old to be a real force beyond this qualifying campaign, and as we are not going to qualify this time, it is only right and proper that he takes a decision he is entitled to take now. Yes, they get paid all kinds of money (by their clubs not Wales) but you miss the consideration to family time lost when on international duty (Giggs has a young family). Giggs has every right to call time on his career, particularly as Wales arent going to face a meaningful game until the World Cup qualifiers now. I am sure there are all manner of reasons for him wanting to leave, many of them non-footballing ones. He wants to prolong his club career and even the most one eyed welsh fan must realise that we Giggs alone cannot rescue what is a poor crop of players we have at the moment.

People forget the poor quality of players Giggs has had to play with over the years in a Welsh jersey, and he is not the type of player to take games by the scruff of the neck like Gerrard, Lampard, Keane. He is one the best wingers ever, but wingers can only do so much.

 
At 5:34 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

its football who cares - its a pansys game

 
At 6:23 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Giggs is dedicated to Wales, he could have played for England but said he was Welsh and wanted to play for his country He is one of the most gifted players on the wing ever
I agree with Marcusian, one man cannot make a team, and we have better Welsh players outside of the squad than in it for all sorts of reasons.
Giggs is entitled to plan his life in the best way for himself and his family
Wales are going nowhere in soccer at the moment .

 
At 7:44 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

cxwckzpBlamer:

It's YOU that is trying to hang Giggsy out to dry. What has he done to you?.

The Czech game will be his 64th. cap for the Country. What more do you want?

I suppose you would like to see him run himself into the ground trying to support the other 10 no-hopers that comprise the Welsh team.

As a 'star' player and the Captain I really think that Wales has an obligation to him to at least provide the best players.

No Blamer, I think that Wales has let Giggsy down and that criticism of him for his decision is a little unfair.

He's done his bit IMHO.

Your pulchritudinous pal.

johnny.

 
At 8:03 pm, Blogger Cymro said...

Hmm... give the number 11 shirt to Huw Lewis - send him somewhere where he can't do anything to stupid. Actually, instead of a cabinet, why not try and put together a football team?

I think 4-5-1 would suit Labour best:

9. Leighton Andrews

11. Jane Hutt 10. Brian Gibbons

8. Rhodri Morgan (c)
7. A. Davies 6. C. Jones

2. A. Pugh 3. C. Sargeant 4. I. James 5. L. Neagle

1. Jane Davidson

Any thoughts?

 
At 8:12 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Truly Astonishing. Wales is proud of Mr Giggs and thankful for his 16 years of service.

Despite playing for 16 years at the top level he has juggled his Welsh commitments to the best of his ability. When he stops he will have played only 6 matches less than Mark Hughes, the majority of which have been competitive internationals. For the last 2 years he played against the advice of his club manager and lost the united captaincy because of it.

The Welsh chattering classes have however never really appreciated Ryan Giggs. They cannot understand why a lad who captained English youth and was destined for greatness chooses Wales over England. Bluntly he is not the right sort of Welshman they can be proud off. Compare this with the attitude of many to the Welsh rugby squad which is littered with overseas player who chose to play for Wales when other avenues were blocked off.

Undoubtedly Giggsy is the most accomplished and decorated British footballer of his generation. He was a world talent probably only second to John Charles in the list of all time great Welsh sportsmen. But the time has come for him to mount one last challenge on Europe and he can’t combine this with playing for Wales at his age. So say goodbye with thanks.

It is interesting that in the month that left wing Welsh politics has taken a nosedive with Plaid Cymru, Conservatives and the Liberals looking at a right wing policy merger that a genuine Welsh working class hero departs the stage.

 
At 8:22 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You're either 'being controversial' or you're a very harsh judge of a footballer, Mr Bell. Giggs is an absolute legend who is (jointly with John Charles) the best player ever to wear the Wales shirt. The older he's got, the more committed he's been to playing for his country, and he's always turned in quality performances.

For chrissakes, we only produce a player of his worth twice a century. Don't knock it when it happens.

 
At 8:50 pm, Blogger Aled said...

To retire in the middle of a qualifiyng campaign which is not yet (on paper at least) over is a bit crap and sends out the wrong message. He could at least have waited until qualification was impossible before making his announcement. But the Giggs has never put Wales first, so I'm not surprised.

Can we also nail on its head the lie that Giggs could somehow have played for England? How exactly? He was born in Wales as were his parents and grandparents, meaning he couldn't have played for England even if he wanted to. Yes he played for England schoolboys, but thats what schoolboys who go to schools in England do, no matter what their nationality.

A great footballer for Man Utd, yes certainly. For Wales, not so much.

 
At 8:50 pm, Blogger JamesFraney said...

Giggs could never have "chosen" England anyway. Both sides of his family are Welsh, but qualified for England Schoolboys by virtue of going to school there. Still, I kind of wish that urban myth had some truth about it. I still remember the dark days of Andy Sinton meandering up England's left flank. Makes me shudder even now.

 
At 9:09 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Giggs couldn't have chosen England, but could Michael Owen have chosen Wales? Frankly, with a name like that, and given that his family are from Hawarden, I find it hard to believe that he has no Welsh blood.

David Jones of newly-promoted Derby is the next to have the Wales-England 'choice' to make. Born and bred in Wrexham, as was his father, but says his Dad always regarded himself as English. He actually qualifies for England through his Mum, I believe.

Make of that what you will.

Let's hope the NHS reconfiguration will put an end to the current abhorrent practice whereby Flintshire kids are born in Chester (nearest hospital), thereby qualifying for the Sais at football.

 
At 9:34 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, Running down the wing, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, Can do anything, Feared by the Blues, Loved by the Reds, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs, Ryan Giggs

 
At 10:17 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"its football who cares - its a pansys game"

That's the long and short of it really....;-)

 
At 10:27 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Urban Myth Number 1 Ryan Giggs couldn’t have played for England

Oh yes he could ……have very easily played for England. His first cap (1991) predates the 1993 Home Nation Agreement which was – allegedly - drawn up to stop another poaching approach by England. This agreement is not really worth the paper it is written on anyway, the gentlemen’s agreement that predated it was even looser and wouldn’t stand up to FIFA or EU examination.

However given Ryan Giggs family background which is very Welsh – his brother is called Rhodri – it would be unlikely he would choose to play for England.

Also he wasn’t born in Wales and then was like baby Jesus smuggled out of the country – he went to primary school in Wales.

 
At 11:09 pm, Blogger Blamerbell said...

I agree with Mr Gasyth.

If you're going to play for your country, do it properly.

For years and years he had a hero status in Wales despite not turning up for friendlies and mucking in with the team. Then, he was made captain and he finally looked interested, only to give up the captain's armband midway through a qualifying campaign.

If I was a Man Utd fan I'd be very happy. I'm not. I'm a Wales fan and I'm disappointed.

 
At 12:24 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

oouf! Giggs is well fit i'd give him 1

 
At 12:31 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is worth clarifying that Giggs is not actually quitting in the middle of a qualifying campaign - our campaign has been over since Slovakia humiliated us last October. Would Giggs be quitting if we were still in with a chance? Of course he wouldn’t. Why should he spend his final years in the game traipsing around in a series of meaningless borefests in front of a ¾ empty national stadium, playing alongside a bunch of third-rate duffers and under the instruction of an incompetent buffoon?

There will continue to be a debate over Giggs’ (lack of) commitment to the national team but the most pressing issue for Welsh football is the management. Toshack has been a complete disaster and should never have been given the job in the first place. When Mark Hughes took us to within 90 minutes of a major final all Toshack could do was sit in the BBC studios sniping and moaning. His selections have been bizarre and he has driven out some of our most important players. He should be sent on his way asap and replaced with Coleman.

 
At 2:41 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i know what you mean about international 'retirement'. but if Man U weren't playing in 4 (four) highly competitive compeitions then Giggs could be spared for the occasional international. I think he is a Welsh hero. He has always carried himself with immense dignity and if I am not in tears at 4.45 on Saturday I clearly won't have drinken enough. Diolch Ryan am bopeth.

 
At 2:42 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ps. I agree with Big Dave, Ryan Giggs is a genuine Welsh working class hero.

 
At 2:48 am, Blogger MSC said...

james frasey,

i know Ryan Giggs himself has never mentioned it, but couldn't he have qualified for England under residency rules?

from all biographies and interviews it is clear that he chose Wales for national (rather than career) reasons.

I for one will never forget his strong unequivocal public support for Welsh self-determination in 1997. He has done a lot more for Wales than many, many people.

 
At 8:27 am, Blogger Pads said...

/but couldn't he have qualified for England under residency rules?/

That's rugby.

FIFA say you have to be a citizen of the country you play for.

The Home Nations all share the same citizenship (no Welsh passports yet), so they came to an agreement about who can play for who.

Saying that, you can bet the (English) FA would have ripped up that agreement if Giggs had asked to play for them.

 
At 8:48 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This was the correct time to retire.We are not going to reach the finals now and he will be too old next time.He may have dodged friendlies but gave his all when it mattered.Incidentally,I agree with Pads.Whilst he could not play for England under the FA/FAW /SFA/NIFA agreement, the FA would have torn it up had he asked to play for them.

 
At 8:54 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Giggs was ineffective against New Zealand - what does that say about him? Koumas is far more important to Wales, so let's get over Ryan and see if we can start some kind of winning run again.

Anyway, I think this is a more interesting issue...

Big Dave
It is interesting that in the month that left wing Welsh politics has taken a nosedive with Plaid Cymru, Conservatives and the Liberals looking at a right wing policy merger that a genuine Welsh working class hero departs the stage.

Right-wing policy merger? The Tories have adopted progressive policies for the sake of power - that's the reality of the All-Wales Accord. Have you read it, Big Dave? I'm still against an alliance with the Tories but the reality is that the Tories have come far further to the left to meet Plaid than the other way round.
I'm also against a Plaid alliance with New Labour (who have done as good a job as the Tories in widening the gap between rich and poor) because I think Plaid should keep its eye on the bigger picture of winning power a la Salmond in 2011.
Four years of limited powers - is it worth blowing a once-in-a-generation chance for the sake of that?

 
At 10:59 am, Blogger Tortoiseshell said...

Meanwhile, in the poll, we're looking at a rainbow coalition of Blamerbell,Ordovicious, Glyn Davies and Wales Elects in order to keep an Arsembly-led government at bay...

 
At 11:05 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

With United apparently on the verge of signing Portuguese winger Nani from Sporting Lisbon, it looks like Giggs's position in the United side is no longer secure.

Perhaps he'd be better off retiring from club football and concentrating on his international career?

I find it strange that people are happy to concede that wanting to win even more medals for United is a valid reason for ending an international football career that has yielded no success whatsoever.

http://stillbeautiful.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/where-now-for-wales-as-giggs-turns-his-back/

 
At 11:09 am, Blogger Blamerbell said...

We're all suckers that's why.

People like the sound of their own voices delivering living epitaphs.

Wait till he retires properly, then heap upon him all the praise in the world.

But not a minute sooner.

Looks like we agree on something at last, Tom.

 
At 11:16 am, Blogger Tortoiseshell said...

Ceri said:

"I for one will never forget his strong unequivocal public support for Welsh self-determination in 1997."

Hmm - I think that probably had more to do with sales of the Welsh Mirror as much as anything else, but I agree with your sentiment.

I remember Gary Speed publicly backed a "No" vote in the referendum.

 
At 12:14 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Blamerbell said...
"Wait till he retires properly, then heap upon him all the praise in the world."


Excuse the confusion but are we talking of Rhodri or Ryan here?

 

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