Ryan Giggs: Cardiff's Mackay lauds 'iconic' Man Utd winger

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay says Manchester United's Welsh winger Ryan Giggs is his favourite player of the past 15 years.

Giggs will face home-town club Cardiff for the first time in his career if he plays in Sunday's Premier League clash.

Mackay believes Giggs, who turns 40 on 29 November, will become a manager once his playing career is over.

"Every day of the week, every week of the year for the last 15 years he has been a top player," said Mackay.

"He is a top bloke and he is probably my favourite player of the last 15 years."

The Welshman made his United debut in March 1991 and has won 13 league titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League titles.

The Bluebirds will become his 117th different opponents as a Manchester United player should he feature at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday.

Giggs, who won 64 caps for Wales, joined manager David Moyes's backroom team during the summer when he was appointed player-coach.

Mackay, Cardiff boss since 2011, has no doubt Giggs will become a manager in his own right once he calls time on an illustrious playing career.

"I met him a couple of weeks ago at the FA Pro Licence course I was talking at," Mackay added.

"He is now stepping into the other side of the game in that player-coach role I had at one point and a lot of players have had at some point when their careers are finishing.

"But I think you look at how he has conducted himself professionally through his whole career and he just looks a model pro.

"The way he has kept his body and how his game changed when his pace went, and his thought process in terms of how to play.

"Even the way he started to adapt his body through using yoga to allow him to play into his 40s, he has been an absolute star

"He is obviously an iconic figure here for what he has done for Wales and I have no doubt at one point he will end up in management.

"He has learned from the best [former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson] and it will be good to see him on Sunday."

Fit again striker Andreas Cornelius has been included in Cardiff's squad for their game against the Premier League champions.

The Denmark international, 20, has not played since suffering an ankle injury during Cardiff's Capital One Cup win at Accrington Stanley in August.

"He's played 60 minutes in a reserve game last week and he'll need more football," Mackay said.

"But he's back in the squad, which is good, and he's back with the normal training group which is great for the lad.

"He's a young boy but there's a lot of potential there."