Giggs - I'll Go Before Fergie

Ryan Giggs has revealed he expects to retire before Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United legend has reiterated he will not play for another club.

The Welshman, who turned 36 last month, is the club's record appearance holder and is likely to be offered the chance to spend 20 years in the United first team.

Ferguson confirmed last week that he will be offering Giggs a new contract through to 2011 and the midfielder is open to extending his playing career.

"It is a case of seeing how I feel at the end of each season," Giggs told The Times.

"I'll have to ask myself if I am still enjoying it and motivated to come in to training each day.
"When I finish with United, that's it. I won't play for another club."

However, even if Giggs does agree to prolong his playing career at Old Trafford for a further season, he does not expect to outlast his manager.

"I think it will be me," replied Giggs when asked who he thought would retire first.

"The manager is as good as ever and will go on for a long time. I can still see him as manager of United in five years' time, easily, because as long as he is healthy he will have the desire to carry on.

"He has a great team around him, he has his passions away from the game and can get away with his horse racing. When he comes back to football he is refreshed, and I know he still has that desire."

Having spent his entire playing career under Ferguson's guidance, Giggs believes the United boss has mellowed in recent years.

He added: "Our relationship has never been better. It has evolved.

"He speaks to me like a friend and asks for my advice, which gives me tremendous confidence.

"We still argue, which is normal, we are all winners.

"The younger players still fear him, but not like when I was their age. He has mellowed, he isn't near as frightening as 20 years ago."