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Mourinho: Giggs made brave decision
Jose Mourinho respects Ryan Giggs’ decision to end his long association with Manchester United in pursuit of a managerial career.
On Saturday, United’s most decorated player announced he would be leaving the club he had been with since the age of 14, adding that management was "where I want to be".
Mourinho reiterated that it was solely Giggs’ choice and wished the Reds legend well as he embarks on a journey the Portuguese himself made 16 years ago, when he took his first managerial job with Benfica.
"On Ryan Giggs, I want to make clear that it is not my responsibility that he is no longer at the club,” Mourinho said on Tuesday, at his first press conference as United manager. "The job Ryan wanted is the job the club decided to give to me. This is not my fault.
"The club, for reasons of their own, decided that the job was for me. From that moment, Ryan decided that he wanted to be a manager, just as I did 16 years ago. There is always a moment like this for coaches.
"The club wanted to give him an important job, but he made a brave decision. It is not easy – I left Barcelona with two years left on my contract as their assistant manager.
"For Ryan, it is not just the step of going from assistant to manager; it is also leaving his house of 29 years. He has made a brave, honest decision and I say good luck to him.
"If one day he wants to come back whilst I am here then I will never stop him; I will always say yes if the club asks my opinion. If one day the club offers him the chance to be the manager, I think it will be natural and a consequence of the success of his managerial career.”