Wales job interests Giggs

With John Toshack set to soon announce he will be stepping down as Wales coach, Ryan Giggs has admitted that taking on the job would be something that would interest him.

After six years in charge, Toshack has come under pressure to resign, notably after an opening 1-0 Euro 2012 qualifier loss to Montenegro, although he will remain at the helm until a successor is found.

A number of names have already been linked with the role and reports suggest the Football Association of Wales could approach Giggs to gauge his interest.

But the Manchester United midfielder, who retired from international football in 2007, admits it would be hard to take up the position at the current time.

The 36-year-old’s playing career may be drawing towards a conclusion but Giggs has continued to play a key role at Old Trafford in recent seasons and may not want to hang up his boots for a while yet.

He nevertheless concedes that it would be a dream to manage his country one day and knows from history that such appointments can be made very suddenly.

“If you go into management, the big job is to be in charge of your country. And I’m no different in terms of thinking like that,” Giggs, who has already taken UEFA coaching badges, said in the Daily Telegraph.

“At the moment it is difficult, because I still have commitments as a player.

“But I always use the Sparky (Mark Hughes) situation.

“One minute he is playing for Wales and in the Premier League with Blackburn, then the next thing you know, he is managing his country.

“Sparky never really planned for that.”

Eric Harrison, who was responsible for bringing Giggs and the ‘Class of 92’ through at Old Trafford, has warned him if he ends up being installed as new Wales manager he would have to end his stellar career at United.

He told the Manchester Evening News: “It is not a cushy little number and it is not a part-time post.

“You are at the sharp end of things and these days I don’t believe you could combine playing for a club at United’s level and managing an international team.

“When I was with Mark (Hughes) we’d be jetting off all over the place watching future opponents. Then you would be going up and down the country checking on your players.

“You couldn’t be playing for United at the weekend and be wondering and worrying about how the Welsh players are doing.

“If the vacancy does come up and Ryan is approached then he has a massive decision to make.”

Harrison has no doubts Giggs is mentally tough enough to make a success of the management game and will become Wales boss eventually.