Ryan Giggs has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson’s treatment of one Manchester United legend made him also feel that he could be on the chopping block.
The 50-year-old Manchester United legend is widely regarded as one of the best Premier League players of all time after his magnificent playing career.
One of the famed ‘Class of ‘92’ members, Ryan Giggs spent his entire club career at Old Trafford after breaking into the United first team in the 1990s.
The Welshman enjoyed incredible success at Old Trafford, including lifting 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, four FA Cups and four League Cups.
Giggs remains United’s all-time leading appearance maker, having eclipsed fellow club legend Sir Bobby Charlton in the rankings.
The former United winger predominately spent his club career under former head coach Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired from football management in 2013.
Giggs became a player-coach under David Moyes in 2013 before he stepped up as interim player-manager in 2014 after the Scotsman’s sacking.
Giggs convinced Ferguson would axe him
Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken highly of Ryan Giggs, including naming him as one of the four world-class players he managed at Manchester United.
Despite earning Ferguson’s ultimate respect, United legend Giggs was far from convinced that his entire playing career would be spent at Old Trafford.
Speaking on the UTD Podcast, Giggs recalled his experience in the 2002-03 season and admitted that he struggled at the start of the campaign with the Red Devils.
United won the Premier League title in the aforementioned season, but their run in the FA Cup came to an end in the fifth round with a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Giggs missed a superb chance in the match against the Gunners, but the defeat at Old Trafford was overshadowed by Ferguson’s incident with David Beckham.
Following the FA Cup defeat, David Beckham received a cut above his eye and required stitches after he was hit by a boot from United legend Ferguson.
Beckham’s relationship with Ferguson splintered further and the former United superstar made his exit from Old Trafford and signed for Real Madrid in 2003.
When asked if he thought he could leave United, Giggs said (via Manchester United’s official website) in 2020: “No, no. In 2002-03, I didn’t get off to a good start.
“It was when Becks [David Beckham] left, at the end of the season. I felt that was the time when I felt: yeah, maybe the manager could get rid of me.”
Giggs on Beckham’s Man Utd exit
Giggs later touched on Beckham’s departure from Old Trafford and revealed his ex-United teammate would be “arguing every other week” with Ferguson towards the end of his run.
“I think the majority of the time it was for football reasons [referring to Ferguson axing players],” he told beIN SPORTS’ ‘The Champions Club’ in 2020.
“It was to get someone in or the player maybe losing that influence. Or it was just the time.
“The likes of David Beckham it was getting too much, where he was arguing every other week and it was just time for both parties to move and that happened on a few occasions.”