Coaching role for Giggs

The ink was barely dry on Ryan Giggs' new one-year playing contract when Sir Alex Ferguson told reporters on Friday morning that the Welshman will stay involved at United in a coaching capacity when he does finally hang up his boots.

Giggs will remain a Red until at least June 2014 and could make his 1000th senior appearance (a total that includes games for United, Wales and Team GB) against Norwich on Saturday, 22 years to the day after his debut in 1991.

"He’ll be involved [against Norwich] and he’ll be involved on Tuesday [against Real Madrid] so somewhere along the line he’s going to play his 1000th game this week, which is phenomenal," stated Sir Alex. "It’s unique in the modern game, but I think it’s more than that – I don’t think it will ever be achieved again by anyone given the way that players’ contracts are played out nowadays.

"We’re very fortunate to have several players who have been at the club for quite a long time. Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes of course, and the likes of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra have given us seven years. That’s quite unusual in the modern world.

"Ryan deserved another year’s contract because his form has never changed over the last few years. He still retains that wonderful youthfulness in the way he plays, he still has great balance and a change of pace. He still has his fitness and he still gets you a goal. He really deserves his new contract."

Eulogising Ryan's talent is nothing new, but Sir Alex also revealed he expects Giggs – and fellow veteran midfielder Paul Scholes – to take up a coaching role upon retirement.

"That will happen, that's the plan," he said. "We’ve done the same with Nicky Butt with the Reserves and when Paul Scholes finishes it will be exactly the same with him.

"We’re good at that – we’ve got several former players installed in the club in different capacities. Mike Phelan, Brian McClair, Tony Whelan, Paul McGuinness… I think it’s important we have people here who have the experience of being a player here.

"I think it’s important that if anyone has ambitions to be a manager, then you should take on different roles before you get there, almost as a preparation. He [Giggs] has got to take his badges and he should go to the business school in Warwick which I think is a very good one. He should spend time with the young players in the Academy and therefore prepare eventually to be a manager."