Mark Hughes: Giggsy will look after wonderkid ­Adnan Januzaj

December 19, 2013
Posted by Steven Tan | Source from Dave Armitage, Daily Star
MARK HUGHES thinks that Manchester United wonderkid ­Adnan Januzaj has got the perfect ‘minder’.
 
Stoke chief Sparky is sure Old Trafford ­legend Ryan Giggs will be showing the youngster how to look after himself.
 
United boss David Moyes this week made an impassioned plea for referees to protect the 18-year-old tipped for superstardom.
 
But former United forward Hughes said there is no one better then 40-year-old Giggs to show Janujaz how to get out of the way of clattering tackles
“I’m sure Ryan will be mentoring him, though I’m not sure exactly how much ­protection he needs”
- Mark Hughes 
Hughes, who will try to topple his old club at the Britannia tonight and clinch a Capital One Cup semi-final spot, said: “He’s an outstanding talent and I’m sure he is going to be a top player for United.
 
“I’m sure Ryan will be mentoring him, though I’m not sure exactly how much ­protection he needs.
 
“When he came on as a sub against us he got five fouls in a very short space of time!”
 
But if he does need to learn how to avoid potential leg-breakers, then Hughes says he is in the hands of a master.
 
He added: “Ryan was playing in the Lancashire League at clubs like Marine – a 14-year-old against men.
 
“He learnt pretty quickly how to get out of the way. He can learn a lot from him in so many other ways as well.
 
“Ryan had a lot of attention right from the off. As senior players at United, we were all aware of this rare young talent coming through.
 
“But no one could have foreseen that 25 years later, Ryan would still be gracing the Premier League.”
 
Hughes will not be going soft on the boy wonder or United and wants Stoke to have a real go at them in a bid to reach Wembley.
 
He added: “The fact that we are in the quarter-finals is no coincidence ­because we have treated the competition with the respect it deserves.
 
“It’s one of the trophies we have a realistic stab at winning and we will field a strong side against United.
 
“Coming off the back of a fantastic performance against Chelsea at the Britannia, if we can ­repeat that then United will know they have been in a game.”
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