'United has looked like a plaster on a gaping wound'

'What gets me is when people talk about getting to where they want to be-everyone expects other clubs to sit still' NICKY BUTT

- STEVEN RAILSTON

RYAN Giggs arrived at Victoria Warehouse in a sleek tuxedo on Thursday.

It might have been 11 years since Giggs retired, but he looks on good terms with himself.

"For about two minutes, yeah," Giggs laughed when he was asked whether he could help a struggling United.

The 51-year-old strolled over to speak to a few Manchester-based journalists ahead of the inaugural Foundation 92 gala dinner. The event, which raised £267,000, was held in the shadow of Old Trafford and Giggs was followed into the venue by charity co-founder Nicky Butt.

Both players spoke their minds on a range of topics and nothing was off the table. "First of all, on the pitch, it's not been great. I do like Ruben Amorim, I think he comes across well," said Giggs.

"I think he's got a tough job. I think it's a case of backing him and sticking with him. It might be a long time before we bring success back onto the pitch, but I believe what I've seen so far is that he's got a great chance [of achieving that] if he is backed, so hopefully he will be.

"Regarding the staff [redundancies], I think... that's obviously tough to see. I think in some departments we've probably had too many staff, but at the same time it's making that... differentiating from where you need to cut, but also having that loyalty that people who've not only worked there but just love the club and have gone above and beyond over the years and have been there a long time."

Butt spoke to the Manchester Evening News for an exclusive interview in September and he said 'only time will tell' whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe's changes at United would be successful.

Erik ten Hag was sacked a month later and Dan Ashworth was ruthlessly axed in December, so what has Butt thought about the last six months at the club? "They've got rid of Dan Ashworth, which I thought was a strange one, having worked so hard to get him from Newcastle," he said.