GIGGS HAPPY WITH UNITED SQUAD
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Ryan Giggs usually gets what he wants. And right now there’s only one thing on his mind as he looks ahead to the forthcoming 2010/11 campaign.
“My main aim is to win the title back,” he told ManUtd.com. “United are always there or thereabouts, but winning it is the important thing and we want it back.”
That’s bad news for Chelsea, the boys in blue who nicked the trophy from Giggs and co. on the final day of last season. But while Carlo Ancelotti’s men are again likely to pose the biggest threat, United’s record appearance-maker insists they won’t be the only side challenging for domestic superiority.
“I think the league is going to be very competitive again,” Giggs said. “Teams have got a little bit closer together – those that were on the fringe of things have got better and caught up.
“Manchester City obviously have a lot of money to spend, Spurs did well last season, as did Aston Villa… so it’ll be interesting to see who’s in the top four at the end of the season.”
Speaking from Chicago where United are undergoing rigorous pre-season training ahead of matches in Toronto, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Houston and Guadalajara, Giggs underlined the importance of starting the season well. Those players who were involved at the World Cup, however, won’t return to the fold until 28 July, just 12 days before the first competitive ball is kicked at the Community Shield.
“It’s always difficult after a World Cup because the players who have been involved in the tournament have time off,” Giggs conceded. “You just hope there’s no hangover from the World Cup and everyone can hit the ground running. Hopefully our players will come back refreshed and we can get off to a good start.” -
MUtv has been on Goaltv1 on starhub, but I do not see it in the last couple of weeks. Anyone know if it has been moved?
Some months ago, I recalled Starhub wrote a letter to Sports channel subscribers mentioning that delayed telecast matches would appear on MUtv within 24-48 hours after the live match!
I am not keen to subscribte to mioTV
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Ryan Giggs believes Manchester United's crop of promising youngsters will fire them to the Premier League title while Manchester City's expensive signings do little but heap more pressure on that club.
Speaking in Philadelphia as United continue their North American pre-season tour, Giggs said the club's talented young prospects have the same determination and desire to succeed as he and his fellow golden generation of players had when they first arrived on the Old Trafford scene over a decade ago.
It promises to be a season of transition for United. Sir Alex Ferguson has assembled nearly a full team of players in their teens and early twenties ready to push for first team places including new signings Chris Smalling (20) and Javier Hernandez (22), along with current fringe players Rafael (20), Fabio (20) and Federico Macheda (18) among others.
Giggs said: "Last season we saw a lot of the young players featuring in the first team. Nani had a good season, Antonio [Valencia] had a fantastic debut campaign, Kiko Macheda had a frustrating season with injuries, Chris has come into the squad; so there are a lot of young players who experienced some first-team action last season.
"Hopefully their determination and hunger will see them kick on this season and do even better, because we're going to need them. The injuries we had in defence last season were unbelievable. We've strengthened with the arrival of Chris, and hopefully Rafael and Fabio can get through the season without the niggly injuries they've had.
"Hopefully these young players will get better and better, and I'm sure they will. I see their determination on the training ground. They want to do well, they want to learn, they want to play for United, get in the team and stay in the team. That's what we were like when we were younger and I see the same desire in these young players."
While United seek to rebuild largely from within, the blue half of Manchester is set to be thrilled by another summer of spending as City's wealthy owners look to shortcut their squad towards Premier League success. Giggs said City would be in for some "stick" if they failed to produce results after another string of high-profile signings. He said a top-four finish would be considered a minimum for his city rivals this season.
"Until we play them I don't take any notice of what City are doing, like any other team really. If they get a run together, if they get the consistency, they'll be a force, and no one knows if they're going to do that.
"It's a similar scenario to last season really. They've got so many talented players that, if they gel as a team, they'll be a force. If they don't then obviously it could be a frustrating season for them and they'll probably get a little bit of stick. But, if they gel as a team, like they proved in games last year, they can beat anyone."
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Ryan Giggs hopes United can build on back-to-back tour wins and become the first Premier League side to beat the MLS All-Stars...
All the lads are looking forward to going to Kansas City and Houston because it’s going to be a new experience for most of us.
It’s always exciting to visit new cities – we’re not sure what to expect with either place, although we’ve been told it’ll be hot!
The Kansas game is our third of the tour, so our match fitness will be at a good level and we should be close to reaching our best in terms of performance.
I was told that a Premier League team has never won the All-Star game, so that’s a goal for us. It’ll give us the chance to see first-hand the quality there is in the MLS.
It can be challenging to play a team you’ve never seen before – we won’t know what system they’ll play or how they’ll go about the match until we get onto the pitch.
We know we’ll have to perform if we’re to get the result. It would definitely be nice to become the first English team to beat the All-Stars.
Kansas City Wizards v United, 25 July, kick-off 17:00 local time (23:00 UK)
MLS All-Stars v United, 28 July, kick-off 19:30 local time (01:30 UK) -
Ryan Giggs has played in too many pre-season games to be too downhearted about United's surprise 2-1 loss to Kansas City Wizards.
Although disappointed by the defeat - the first of Tour 2010 after two victories over Celtic and Philadelphia Union - the Reds' longest-serving player will dwell more on the positive aspects of the encounter.
The Welshman told ManUtd.com's Gemma Thompson: "It's always disappointing when you lose. While credit must go to the Wizards, we didn't play well and their second goal was a killer, especially as it came so quickly after we'd got ourselves back into the game.
"But the big thing about pre-season is getting your fitness right and this was a good run-out for us. It was hard work in the heat, especially when we were a goal down chasing the game."
The Reds' starting line-up was the least experienced of the tour so far - goalkeeper Ben Amos is 19 years younger than the man he deputised for, Edwin van der Sar, while the back four have a little over a century of United appearances between them. Giggs feels the younger members of the side will benefit from this outing in America.
"It's always an experience when you're playing at a great stadium, in front of a good crowd against good opposition," said Giggs.
"You learn something from every game you play when you're younger and you always try to take something from it even when you lose. Hopefully the young lads will be better for the experience today." -
Ryan Giggs does not believe Manchester United need a "marquee signing" this summer to compete for the title.
While Manchester City have been busy strengthening their squad with the addition of some high-profile names, many of the other top Premier League teams have been quiet in the transfer market this summer.
United have brought in promising youngsters such as Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling, but they have spent nothing like as much money as their Manchester rivals.
Giggs is nevertheless confident that Sir Alex Ferguson has enough options at his disposal for the Red Devils to reclaim their crown.
United were pipped to top spot by Chelsea last term but Giggs insists the club's crop of young players can carry them to glory come next May.
"We don't need a marquee signing before the deadline," the Welshman said in the Sunday Mirror.
"We're OK at the moment. The quality of the players we've got is very good. And we've got players coming back from injuries.
"We've also got young players who've gone out on loan and have come back stronger, fitter and will have benefited greatly from our pre-season tour of America."
Giggs is looking to win his 12th Premier League title in his 21st season at Old Trafford, but he is not thinking about carving out his own place in history.
He said: "I don't think about setting records for how many titles I can get as a player.
"That will be something I look back upon and be proud of when I finish.
"At the moment I'm just looking forward."