Ryan Giggs: Wales manager '100% committed' to national team job

Ryan Giggs won 64 caps for Wales during his playing career, scoring 12 goals

Wales manager Ryan Giggs has insisted he is fully committed to the job and is not distracted by other commitments.

The ex-Manchester United winger is also youth director with a Vietnamese football academy and an ambassador for the Uefa Champions League.

But Giggs has assured fans his other commitments will not interfere with Wales' bid to reach Euro 2020.

"I have other commitments but primarily my job is to manage Wales. I'm 100% committed," he said.

"My job is to get Wales to the European Championships. That is my primary job.

"I've got other commitments that the FAW [Football Association of Wales] knew about before I took over.

"For example I've been to Vietnam and am an ambassador for the Champions League and was in South Africa for three days last week.

"I'm being introduced as the Welsh manager and that can only be good."

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Although the FAW was aware of Giggs' additional commitments before he was appointed manager in January 2018, some Wales fans have expressed concerns on social media.

Others are also unhappy about how little he watches Welsh clubs in action.

Giggs was at Cardiff City's match at Bournemouth on the opening weekend of the Premier League season but is rarely at Cardiff City Stadium.

The 45-year-old has not watched Swansea City once at the Liberty Stadium this season, but has sent his assistant coaches Albert Stuivenberg and Osian Roberts to matches.

Some of Giggs' recent non-Wales commitments also include:

• 5-6 March - Champions League trophy tour, South Africa

• 25 February - Hotel Football (which Giggs co-owns) link-up with Marriot announcement at Hotel Football, Manchester

• 4 February - Laureus Sports Street League at Hotel Football

• 29 January - Manchester United v Burnley Old Trafford hospitality

• 23 January - Announcement of David Beckham buying shares in Salford City, Hotel Football, followed by An Evening with Ryan Giggs at Picadilly Hotel Manchester

• 2 January - Salford City (who Giggs co-owns) v Wrexham

Giggs spends much of his time in Manchester as co-owner of Hotel Football non-league club Salford City, along with former Manchester United team-mates Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Gary Neville.

Ryan Giggs, a Champions League winner in 1999 and 2008, is an ambassador for the competition

Giggs has defended the decision to prepare for Wales' next game over the border in England.

The senior squad will train at Manchester United's Carrington ground rather than at a base in Wales ahead of the friendly against Trinidad and Tobago at Wrexham on 20 March.

Colliers Park in Wrexham is being redeveloped into a National Football Development Centre by the FAW but will not be ready until May.

"I can perhaps understand a little bit of the criticism but actually my job is to prepare the team as best as I can," Giggs said.

"Without a shadow of a doubt this is the best way. Colliers Park isn't quite ready so where was the other option?

"Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United were literally the only options otherwise you do what I do when I used to play for Wales and train on a school pitch."

Giggs revealed he had consulted with his players about Carrington and said they were "excited" about the prospect of training at Manchester United's complex.

He was part of a Wales squad which, under former manager Bobby Gould, trained at Usk Open Prison.

"There were a lot of frustrations but things got better under Sparky [former Wales boss Mark Hughes] and that just can't happen at international level.

"I had an excuse. I can't give players excuses and if you don't give players excuses then it's much better for me."

Giggs has named a 31-man squad for the friendly against Trinidad and Tobago on 20 March, which comes four days before their opening match of the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Slovakia in Cardiff.

Having first taken charge of Wales at the China Cup in March 2018, Giggs is looking forward to the qualifiers.

"Whether it's a honeymoon period or not, I'm not too sure," Giggs added.

"I think I'll be judged on the qualifying games, I knew going into the job

"I put myself under pressure and that's the only pressure that I feel."