This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/may/21/ryan-giggs-career-history-english-football-manchester-united

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Was Ryan Giggs' playing career the best in the history of English football? Was Ryan Giggs' playing career the best in the history of English football?
(4 months later)
Alex Ferguson gave us some of the best one-liners in the history of the game. He could eviscerate his rivals – and his friends – with put-downs that were as beautiful as they were blunt. Paul Ince became a "big-time Charlie", Arsène Wenger "a novice", Rafa Benitez "an angry man", Dennis Wise "could start a row in an empty house", Filippo Inzaghi "was born in an offside position" and Manchester City were reduced to "noisy neighbours" Alex Ferguson gave us some of the best one-liners in the history of the game. He could eviscerate his rivals – and his friends – with put-downs that were as beautiful as they were blunt. Paul Ince became a "big-time Charlie", Arsène Wenger "a novice", Rafa Benitez "an angry man", Dennis Wise "could start a row in an empty house", Filippo Inzaghi "was born in an offside position" and Manchester City were reduced to "noisy neighbours"
Much of Ferguson's wit was spent on chastising his challengers, but his best line was reserved for praising Ryan Giggs. When Ferguson recalled watching the splindly 13-year-old winger glide across a football field for the first time he said: “He just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”Much of Ferguson's wit was spent on chastising his challengers, but his best line was reserved for praising Ryan Giggs. When Ferguson recalled watching the splindly 13-year-old winger glide across a football field for the first time he said: “He just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”
Giggs is 40 now, but no one has ever summed him up better. Putting his achievements into words is not easy, so here are some numbers:Giggs is 40 now, but no one has ever summed him up better. Putting his achievements into words is not easy, so here are some numbers:
963 games for Manchester United672 league appearances151 Champions League appearances109 league goals45 opponents in the Premier League34 trophies13 Premier League titles4 FA Cups2 Champions Leagues1 club963 games for Manchester United672 league appearances151 Champions League appearances109 league goals45 opponents in the Premier League34 trophies13 Premier League titles4 FA Cups2 Champions Leagues1 club
Has any player in the history of English football had a better career than Giggs? The numbers look impressive, but what about the devil between the details. He didn't win the Ballon d'Or – unlike Stanley Matthews, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo. He didn't captain his club for any length of time. He was at United for 23 years, but was he ever the best player in the team? Was he better than Eric Cantona in the mid-1990s, Roy Keane in the late 1990s, Paul Scholes in the early 2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo in the late 2000s, or Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in the early 2010s?Has any player in the history of English football had a better career than Giggs? The numbers look impressive, but what about the devil between the details. He didn't win the Ballon d'Or – unlike Stanley Matthews, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo. He didn't captain his club for any length of time. He was at United for 23 years, but was he ever the best player in the team? Was he better than Eric Cantona in the mid-1990s, Roy Keane in the late 1990s, Paul Scholes in the early 2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo in the late 2000s, or Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie in the early 2010s?
His goalscoring record is nowhere near Bobby Charlton's. George Best scored more goals in half as many games; Wayne Rooney, who made his debut 12 years after Giggs, has scored more goals for United. He didn't last as long as Matthews, he didn't score as often as Charlton and he didn't lead his club to all those trophies. When compared to the greatest players in the English game, where does he rank? His goalscoring record is nowhere near Bobby Charlton's. George Best scored more goals in half as many games; Wayne Rooney, who made his debut 12 years after Giggs, has scored more goals for United. He didn't last as long as Matthews, he didn't score as often as Charlton and he didn't lead his club to all those trophies. When compared to the greatest players in the English game, where does he rank?
Was Giggs' career the best in the history of English football? Was Giggs' career the best in the history of English football?