Tough, Even for Fergie

Red Devils icon Giggs says legendary former boss would also be struggling at United now

- David Lee

Former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson delivered many magical moments in his 27-year career at Old Trafford, but even the club's most successful manager would struggle to haul the Red Devils out of the rut they are in now, says his former protege Ryan Giggs.

Legendary winger Giggs, a one-club man who played 963 matches for United and won 13 English Premier League titles under Ferguson, delivered the damning verdict in an interview with The Sunday Times on Feb 22.

"Any coach would struggle because the recruitment hasn't been great over the last 10 years," he said. "When Sir Alex left in 2013, everyone recognised United might be a little bit different. But to not compete for the Premier League for more than 10 years now, I couldn't envisage that at that time."

The 51-year-old Welshman is in town for the BYD Football Fiesta, where he and former Singapore internationals Fandi Ahmad and V. Sundramoorthy managed teams in a friendly futsal tournament at ARFC Woodleigh on Feb 22. There was also a football clinic for kids conducted by Aerion Academy, led by players from Women's Premier League side Still Aerion, including Thailand's Women's World Cup player Sunisa Srangthaisong.

As part of the initiative, BYD will donate $1,000 for every car it sells in February, as well as the entry fees from the futsal tournament, to the Breast Cancer Foundation.