Speed hopes Giggs will continue involvement with Wales camp

Wales boss Gary Speed has revealed the door is wide open for Ryan Giggs to join him in the national team’s coaching set-up.

The 37-year-old still has a year to go in his contract with Manchester United but has already worked with his former international team-mate when he joined the squad before their Euro 2012 qualifier defeat to England in Cardiff back in March.

Wales’ qualification appear to be slim after struggling so far in qualification, losing their first four matches.

Rookie manager Speed admits he will be focusing on development in the final games of the campaign but he won’t interfere with Giggs’ playing career.

He told Sportsmail: ‘Ryan’s been with us a couple of days on the last trip and is very keen to get involved so that would be great. Obviously, he is of an age where he has to give 100 per cent commitment to his playing and I know that more than anyone as I played at that age as well. You can’t be having too many distractions and you have got to commit.

‘But I have spoken to Ryan a lot and I’m sure he will be delighted to be a part of it. As I say he came down with us for a couple of days in the England camp and enjoyed it and hopefully he will continue to do that.

‘He won’t be in the next camp obviously because he has got the small matter of the Champions League final!’

With the potential addition of Giggs to his backroom set-up and the progress he deems his young side to be making, the 41-year-old is confident that Wales can make a decent attempt at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

‘What has given me confidence is the players, we have thrown a lot at them in a very short space of time and they have responded really well taking it all on board,’ Speed added.

‘They are fully behind what we want to do and because of that and the age they are, the average is 23-24, we have the potential to stay together for a few years to come.

‘Their ability and how good they are gives me great optimism for the future. So that’s what gives me great confidence going into the next campaign. A lot of this Euro championship has been disappointing but we’ve got four games and we’ve got to use them games to develop and get it right next time around so we are in a place to compete and give it our best shot of qualifying.’

Speed, meanwhile, believes that the Nation’s Cup does not miss England. The tournament involving Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is in its first year and concludes later this month in Dublin. The Three Lions, however, have no plans to join the other four nations in the future.

He said: ‘I think they were invited but they didn’t take up the offer, I don’t think the tournament misses England as such although it would be more high profile if they were in it, but I’m just trying to get a good performance from my team so in that respect I think it’s good for the other nations.’