The ex-United defender has backed his former team-mate to be Louis van Gaal's long-term successor at Old Trafford and says Jose Mourinho would only offer a short-term fix
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United should appoint Ryan Giggs as manager when Louis van Gaal leaves the club.
Van Gaal's position as United boss is under scrutiny following the club’s group stage elimination from the Champions League and a run of just three league victories in 12 matches, which has seen them fall to fifth in the Premier League table.
And Ferdinand, who spent 12 years at Old Trafford, says Giggs is the right man to be the Dutchman's long term successor, but also admitted Jose Mourinho could offer an alternative solution.
“Short-term, Mourinho looks like a good fit. He is used to success. He is a winner, a proven winner,” the former defender, who was speaking at the India on Track event at Gurgaon, told Goal.
“But I think for the long run, I would sway for Giggsy because he understands the philosophy of the club and knows it. I think a big part of it would be the element of youth. Young guys join Manchester United knowing that they are going to get a chance and that needs to continue. So whoever goes in, that’s a big part.
“I am interested to see the decision the club make.”
Although Ferdinand now sees Giggs as a potential United manager, he admitted that he didn’t always think he would move into coaching.
“Not at first. I didn’t know [he wanted to be a coach] but the later he went in his career, the more interested he seemed to be in coaching and doing his badges," said Ferdinand.
"So towards the end of his career, I saw him being involved in some capacity.”
While Giggs is awaiting the chance to lead United, another man who Ferdinand shared a dressing room with at Old Trafford, Gary Neville, has failed to record a league victory in his first nine games in charge of Valencia.
But Ferdinand insists that the difficulties of being a first-time manager in a new country will have come as no surprise to the former defender.
“I don’t think Gary thought differently. He knows that and he is not silly but it is not easy,” added the 37-year-old.
“The difficult thing for Gary from the beginning was that he was going to a foreign country where he doesn’t speak the language – that’s a big problem from the beginning. Then it is about coaching and getting the best out of your players and at the moment he hasn’t been able to get the results but I am sure he will.
“He is a resolute and determined guy and it will be nice to see him get a win.”
- Goal