Cardiff City planning warm welcome for Ryan Giggs when Manchester United arrives in his hometown on Sunday

November 22, 2013
Posted by Steven Tan | Source from The Telegraph
Ryan Giggs is Wales' favourite modern footballer and so when he arrives to the city of his birth on Sunday he is guaranteed a warm welcome, insists Cardiff manager Malky Mackay
 
Malky Mackay, the Cardiff City manager, has described Ryan Giggs as his favourite player and promised he will receive a warm reception from Welsh supporters at the Cardiff City Stadium.
 
“He’s obviously an iconic figure here, as a local lad and for what he’s done for Wales,” he said.
 
“Would I want him on my team? Every day of the week, every week of the year for the last 15 years.
 
"I think he’s probably my favourite player from the last 15 years in English football.”
 
Giggs is certainly respected by Cardiff’s younger professionals, with centre-back, Ben Turner, summing up his awe at his 951 appearances when he the 25-year-old said: “What he’s doing at his age is phenomenal. I won’t be doing it when I’m his age, that’s for sure. I will be far too stiff by then.”
 
Mackay concurred with the sentiment. “The way Ryan has conducted himself throughout his career marks him down as an absolute model pro,” he said.
 
“When his pace went he changed his game and his thought process. And he even adapted his body with the yoga to keep his body in a fashion that he can play into his forties. He’s a star and it will be good to see him on Sunday.”
 
Mackay has given Giggs advice on making the transition from playing to coaching.
 
He said: “I met up with him at the FA Pro-Licence a few weeks ago, when I was giving a talk there, I have no doubt that he will be a manager. In Sir Alex Ferguson he learnt from the very best.”
 
David Moyes, Ferguson's successor, has revealed Manchester United are attempting to prevent Danny Welbeck from undergoing knee surgery, despite concerns over the forward’s ability to overcome the persistent injury.
 
Although midfielder Marouane Fellaini is expected to undergo surgery on a wrist injury as soon as Michael Carrick and Phil Jones return to fitness, the club believe Welbeck’s injury can be resolved without an operation.
 
The England forward has been sidelined for five weeks due to swelling on the knee, but has returned to training this week and Moyes is hopeful the 22-year-old can manage the problem without going under the knife.
 
“There is no operation planned for Danny,” the United manager said. “He is back in training, but it is a little bit of a concern. He has done a lot of work on strengthening the muscles around his knee to try and make sure it prevents it.”
 
Moyes, who confirmed that Carrick had signed a two-year contract since undergone a procedure last week to resolve an Achilles problem, will be without the 32-year-old and Jones at Cardiff on Sunday due to injury. But the groin injury suffered by Jones on England duty last week is not as bad as first feared, with Cardiff potentially the only game he will miss.
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