Latest news with #RyanGiggs
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Giggs gets a kick out of small-sided games, but insists 11-a-side still the foundation
On the ball: Ryan Giggs fielding questions from reporters during the event. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star PETALING JAYA: Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs is embracing the rise of small-sided football formats like the Ballers League, but insists that traditional 11-a-side football remains the sport's foundation and will never be replaced. Speaking before the start of the Liga 7x7 All-Stars tournament at the Cheras Football Stadium yesterday, Giggs acknowledged the growing popularity of five-a-side and seven-a-side competitions that mix former pros, influencers and celebrities – but was clear about the balance the sport needs to strike. 'Yeah, I think there's room for both,' said Giggs. 'Obviously, 11-a-side will always be there. It's your bread and butter – every league and every international competition in the world is built on it. But I think smaller formats of the game are exciting too. Quicker matches, rolling subs, more goals – it's a great watch.' The Welshman, now 52, admits that small-sided formats have particular appeal for older players like himself. 'Yeah, I'm very excited. We're looking forward to it and I'm sure the fans are too. Obviously, for us older players, the smaller the pitch, the better!' he joked. Giggs compared the rise of compact football formats to trends seen in other sports. 'We're in an age now where people want things quickly. If you look at cricket with T20 and The Hundred, or tennis with shorter scoring formats, sports are adapting to faster lifestyles. Football's no different – smaller-sided games are faster, have more goals, and they keep fans engaged.' Giggs, joined by fellow former stars John Terry and Dimitar Berbatov during the tournament, also stressed how important fan interaction is during these events, especially in regions where watching European football comes with time zone challenges. 'Myself, John, and Dimitar, love coming abroad and meeting the fans. We did it as players on pre-season tours or international duty, and this is no different. 'It's also a thank you to all the fans. We know it's not easy in this part of the world – you're watching games at 2am, 3am. So to be here, sign autographs, take pictures, and play a bit is just our way of saying thanks.' Turning his attention to his beloved Manchester United, Giggs believes the Red Devils must improve in the attacking department to return to the top. 'United are traditionally an attacking team and I think that's where we've fallen short in recent years. 'We've relied heavily on Bruno Fernandes for goals. When we've been successful in the past, goals have come from everywhere in the team.' He sees recent signing Bryan Mbeumo – who arrives with Premier League pedigree – as a step in the right direction. 'Hopefully, Mbeumo adds more goals. He's got Premier League experience, so he should hit the ground running. Together with (Matheus) Cunha, it's exciting. But I still think we need four or five more signings to compete.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Ryan Giggs says 11-a-side football remains the cornerstone of the sport
FORMER Manchester United star Ryan Giggs believes the traditional 11-a-side format will continue to be the cornerstone of global football, despite the growing popularity of small-sided formats such as 7-a-side. Speaking at a Liga 7x7 All Stars 2025 tournament event held at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, here, the Welshman said even though the shorter format offers entertainment and engagement, particularly among younger audiences, but it cannot replace the full version of the game. 'I think obviously 11-a-side will always be there, and I think there's room for smaller formats of the game as well. 'Quicker games, rolling subs, more goals, more excitement, but it'll never replace 11-a-side because that's your bread and butter in every league and every international league in the world,' he told a pre match press conference, here, today. Meanwhile, former Chelsea and England captain John Terry shared similar sentiments, saying the 7-a-side format is exciting and has strong digital appeal, especially when combined with social media personalities and content creators. 'This format and this style of football is very exciting. The game's changed over the last 10 years and the actual following of these kinds of games and events is really big,' he said. On the other hand, Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov, said the small-sided football has its advantage in developing technical ability, thanks to its tight spaces. 'This type of football is always popular in my country (Bulgaria). Even when I was a little boy, I still play to this day five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side, so it's nothing new to me,' he said. For today's tournament, Giggs will lead Team Wizards, Terry will be the captain Team Bangsa Bola, Berbatov will spearhead Team Zurich while former national striker Safee Sali will spearhead Team Harimau. The one-day tournament feature four teams and will also play by a mix of retired professionals, prominent figures such as former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Capital A Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Malaysia chair Tan Sri Nazir Razak as well as local celebrities and influencers. Among the rules are each match will be played in 30 minutes with 15 minutes each half, no slide tackles and rolling-substitutions with players can be in and out the game anytime and unlimited. - Bernama
Barnama
3 days ago
- Sport
- Barnama
11-a-side Format Will Always Be Cornerstone Of Football
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Bernama) -- Former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs believes the traditional 11-a-side format will continue to be the cornerstone of global football, despite the growing popularity of small-sided formats such as 7-a-side. Speaking at a Liga 7x7 All Stars 2025 tournament event held at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, here, the Welshman said even though the shorter format offers entertainment and engagement, particularly among younger audiences, but it cannot replace the full version of the game. 'I think obviously 11-a-side will always be there, and I think there's room for smaller formats of the game as well. bootstrap slideshow 'Quicker games, rolling subs, more goals, more excitement, but it'll never replace 11-a-side because that's your bread and butter in every league and every international league in the world,' he told a pre match press conference, here, today. Meanwhile, former Chelsea and England captain John Terry shared similar sentiments, saying the 7-a-side format is exciting and has strong digital appeal, especially when combined with social media personalities and content creators. 'This format and this style of football is very exciting. The game's changed over the last 10 years and the actual following of these kinds of games and events is really big,' he said. On the other hand, Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov, said the small-sided football has its advantage in developing technical ability, thanks to its tight spaces. 'This type of football is always popular in my country (Bulgaria). Even when I was a little boy, I still play to this day five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side, so it's nothing new to me,' he said. For today's tournament, Giggs will lead Team Wizards, Terry will be the captain Team Bangsa Bola, Berbatov will spearhead Team Zurich while former national striker Safee Sali will spearhead Team Harimau.
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Free agent who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs is keen on Wrexham deal
Free agent who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs is keen on Wrexham deal A free agent midfielder, who started his career with Man United and also starred for Rangers, is reportedly keen on joining hometown club Wrexham despite interest from abroad Tom Lawrence (back row, second from left) learnt from Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd and has been linked with Wrexham (Image: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images ) A free agent who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs at Manchester United is reported to be keen on a move to Wrexham. Wales international Tom Lawrence is currently without a club after his contract with Scottish side Rangers expired at the end of last season. The attacking midfielder, who was born in Wrexham, suffered from a series of injuries after arriving at Ibrox from Derby County in 2022. The 31-year-old managed to make 65 appearances and scored 11 goals during his three years in Glasgow and is now looking for a new club. Wrexham, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are among those claimed to be pursuing his services, according to the Mail. Lawrence is also said to have received interest from the Middle East and Turkey, but is understood to find the idea of signing for his hometown club appealing. The Red Dragons, who sealed promotion from League One to the Championship in April, have already brought in one homegrown talent during the summer transfer window. The North Wales side announced the arrival of goalkeeper Danny Ward on Tuesday on a two-year deal after he was released by Leicester City. If they were to secure Lawrence's signature, Wrexham would be getting a player who learned from the best during his time at Manchester United. He joined the Premier League giants at the age of seven and was able to draw on the knowledge of club legends like Sir Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Lawrence explained the grounding it gave him in an interview last year. Article continues below Tom Lawrence, who could be on his way to Wrexham, says he's forever grateful to Ryan Giggs for giving him his Man Utd debut (Image: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images ) "I was at United from the age of seven until I was 20," he told The Sun. "So the amount of figures that helped me out along the way, I couldn't name them all. "What I will say is that you looked up to those who were in the first team at the time, the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Coaching-wise Paul McGuinness and Warren Joyce helped me massively. "I am really thankful to them all. There were role models everywhere. It was just all about standards, it makes you have those standards from such a young age." Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. He added: "Sir Alex Ferguson was one for big standards and you couldn't mess up. That grounding never leaves you. When you grow up hearing that you just get used to doing the same high level standard stuff every day. It's instilled in you." Despite his long stint with United, Lawrence only made on senior appearance for the club in May 2014 in a game against Hull. Giggs was United's player-manager at the time as Lawrence featured for the majority of the game. Giggs then subbed himself on for Lawrence with 20 minutes left in what turned out to be his last-ever game for United. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Article continues below Lawrence said: "He was a big hero growing up, there were a few of them. But he gave me my Manchester United debut so I'll be forever grateful. Nothing will ever come close to that. "I had been out on loan and got recalled. I played a game at Anfield for the under-21s and I played well. The first team played a few days later and I got a call to say I was in the squad. "We went to the hotel and later that day he told me I was starting. I went back to my room and told my family and they all came up."
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales' greatest female footballer Fishlock completes career dream
When it comes to Welsh women's football there is no question that Jess Fishlock is the greatest of all would rage over the greatest men's player, it is easy to make the case for John Charles or Gareth Bale, perhaps you preferred Cliff Jones or Ian Rush or maybe you were a Neville Southall any conversation over Wales' greatest female footballer would be a short has won it all at club level, lifting league title trophies in six different countries, twice winning the Champions League and she has also starred in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) for Seattle Reign over a prolonged period, winning the NWSL most valuable player award in despite clocking up more air miles as a player than many pilots, Fishlock has always remained available for her country, having represented Wales 162 times since her debut in, of all places, Switzerland, in has been there for Wales for 19 years, always available, always setting the standards, always trying with all her heart to drag Wales with her onto football's biggest getting closer to a dream that you cannot obtain, makes things harder. So it was for Fishlock and for Wales. Three near misses for major finals qualification in seemed highly possible, probable even, that Fishlock would join the list of the greatest players never to play at a major international tournament, a list already brimming with Welsh players such as Gary Speed, Ryan Giggs, Rush and after a glittering club career, Fishlock, now 38 and one of the greatest female footballers in history, will finally play international football on the biggest stage. The dream is to become a reality for a trailblazer of women's football who has represented Wales with distinction for over two decades, smashing records and raising her teammates, as she has done throughout her trophy-laden club career."You don't play for this long unless it means so much to you," Fishlock told BBC Sport Wales."I don't think I can put into words how much playing for Wales means to me."We have had some times when we should have qualified for a major tournament, but we didn't."A big narrative around my entire career internationally has been 'can I get to a major tournament? Can we get to a major tournament?' We've been so close so many times."When you want to achieve something and you get to do it with some of your very closest friends, there's really no comparison to that feeling." Born to play for Wales Fishlock's journey to professional football would be a familiar one, if at the time a pathway had existed for a football-mad girl from Cardiff to play the game professionally."She was a very little girl who grew up in Llanrumney just kicking a ball about with her brothers in the garden, that is where it all started," brother James love for football developed further at a soccer camp in Cardiff during the summer holidays."My older sister wanted to go to the camp and my mum said for me to go along with her," Fishlock recalls."From that moment that was what I wanted to do.""Jess would be up and she would want to be in the garden, she'd be over here, over there, wouldn't matter if it was a mud pile, Jess would be out in it," Fishlock's mother Sharon Fishlock wasn't playing football, she was dreaming about it."Jessica was the one who used to go bed with a football, she was dedicated from an early stage," her father Kevyn her talent increasingly clear, Cardiff City Ladies fast-tracked Fishlock, who joined the club aged seven, making her first team debut at 15."When she was a 14-year old girl she used to say she wanted to be a professional footballer and I used to mock her, as older sisters do, because there was no such thing as a female professional footballer at that time," sister Kathyrn Wales career began when she was an amateur, before a move to the Netherlands to play for AZ Alkmaar in 2008, becoming the first overseas player in the titles followed, but it was far from easy for a young woman who had never been away from her family."She went to AZ Alkmaar and when she wasn't playing she was washing dishes in the stadium," sister Kathryn said."The things she's had to do to reach where she has got to, you can't even put it into words, how hard she has worked to create and carve out this life that she has." Success everywhere… except with Wales Fishlock has won it all in her career, playing across the world to achieve her 2011 she swapped the Netherlands for Bristol, helping them to an FA Cup final appearance and ending her second season with the club as the Women's Super League's players' player of the then joined Melbourne Victory in Australia, leading the team to two Grand Finals, including the club's first title in 2013, with Fishlock named player of the match in the joining Seattle in 2013, Fishlock has helped Reign to three NWSL Shield titles, as well as winning honours across the world during loan moves when the NWSL has been out of won the Scottish title with Glasgow in 2014, the German league and Champions League with Frankfurt in 2015, before again winning the Australian league in 2016, 2017 and 2018 with Melbourne 2019 Fishlock helped Lyon win both the first division title and the Champions League, meaning she won league titles for seven successive seasons."As a football fan, I think she is the best player I have ever seen play the game," her brother James constant for Fishlock at club level has been her semi-permanent home for over a decade, Seattle, the place where she met her now wife, ex-teammate Tziarra and King were married in 2023 and LGBTQ+ advocacy has always been a big priority for Fishlock, who says she was bullied at school because of her was appointed an MBE in 2018 for services to women's football and the LGBT community, while she was honoured with a Fellowship of Aberystwyth University in last week, a mural of Fishlock was unveiled on a pitch in Splott."You are proud. Proud of her for achieving what she's achieved, nobody else has done it. I'm more proud that she's now able to be her true authentic self no matter where she is," sister Francessca says. "You can't really ask for more."However, while Fishlock should be at national treasure status, former Wales captain and Uefa executive committee member Laura McAllister says she has been celebrated less than she deserves."I've tested this with my friends who are football fans and not all of them know who Jess Fishlock is and that tells you a lot about the invisibility of the women's game for the past two decades," she said. The dream becomes a reality Fishlock's desire to compete at the top with Wales has seemed like less of a fantasy in the past decade with increased spending from the Football Association of Wales leading to steady progress for the international under manager Jayne Ludlow, they almost qualified, first for a World Cup and then for a European Championship. The latter disappointment, where Wales missed out to Northern Ireland on away goals scored, despite an identical points tally and a vastly superior goal difference, still was a similar story in 2022, Wales beaten in a World Cup play-off final in (again) Switzerland, losing 2-1 to the Swiss in the final seconds of extra time, with a penalty shoot-out each failure, Fishlock has pondered, often publicly, retiring from international football."After Switzerland I didn't know what to do. Can I do two more years? Can I deal with anymore heartache? It took a long time to get over that defeat, it was a bit soul-destroying to be honest."Yet she continued, never stopped chasing the dream and eventually, it came to won their Nations League B group and qualified for the Euro 2025 play-offs, drawing Slovakia in the struck with Fishlock sidelined for a month leading into the match with a calf injury, fit enough only to start as a sub in the away leg. With Wales 2-0 down and facing a crisis, Fishlock entered the fray and created a goal for Ffion was Fishlock - of course - who scored the goal that levelled the tie in Cardiff, playing 120 minutes as Wales eventually triumphed 2-0, with Fishlock creating Ceri Holland's injury time also provided the assist for Lily Woodham in the first leg of the play-off final as Wales drew 1-1 with Republic of Ireland, before the dramatic second leg in Dublin where a 2-1 Welsh win saw them finally make history and qualify for a major tournament for the first the match Fishlock told the pitchside BBC reporter that it was "the proudest moment," of her the benefit of hindsight, another emotion has been added to the euphoria. A feeling of relief."There was a big element of, you know, oh my god, finally," Fishlock said."Finally this has happened. And there was relief which I wasn't expecting. Maybe I just hadn't realised how kind of big it had been weighing on me for all these years until that moment happened. And so there was obviously joy and euphoria but there was also relief for me specifically."I can't believe that we have done the greatest female footballer Wales has ever produced will represent her country on the biggest dream has become reality.
