When Barcelona appointed 37-year-old Pep Guardiola as their new manager, he didn't have a glittering CV or global superstar appeal. He got the job because he understood the club better than anyone else.

For the same reason fans of Ryan Giggs, and Sir Alex Ferguson is one, think he is now the man to step forward and save Manchester United.

Post-David Moyes, United's strategy led by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward was clear. Give an experienced older hand like Louis van Gaal three years to stabilise and then allow Giggs, watching and learning from the sidelines, the opportunity to rekindle the spirit of the Class of 92.

Ryan Giggs (right) sits alongside manager Louis van Gaal during Manchester United's defeat by Southampton

Giggs enjoyed an illustrious playing career at Old Trafford before retiring to become Van Gaal's assistant

Pep Guardiola, pictured with the 2011 Champions League trophy, became Barcelona boss aged 37

It was the Guardiola-Barcelona model, 'Mes que un club' (more than a club), rather than Real Madrid's revolving door policy for galacticos and managers.

Except now Van Gaal has been such an unmitigated disaster, with Giggs trapped alongside him like a rabbit in headlights, there is now serious consideration being given to ripping up the strategy and simply going for the biggest names, Jose Mourinho or Guardiola himself.

How foolish, some would say. The principles that Barcelona were brave enough to follow with Guardiola still exist for Giggs and United.

It's not really his fault that Van Gaal is simply too old and out of touch to change to the United way. While Giggs might not publicly be berating his boss, that would be disloyal, you can guess what he's thinking by what his close mate Paul Scholes is saying on television every week.

We don't know if Giggs will be another Guardiola, whose success at Barca and Bayern Munich since 2008 has already made him one of the managerial all-time greats.

But, like Pep, Giggs embodies the values and principles of his club better than anyone else. And that has to be a good place to start.

Giggs had been earmarked as Van Gaal's successor in 2017 but his chance to manage United may come soon

Guardiola. pictured in action against Liverpool in 2001, spent 11 years as a senior player with Barcelona

Giggs lifts the Premier League trophy in 2008 after helping United beat Wigan on the final day of the season

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Guardiola played 12 years for Barcelona and always raised his voice in the dressing room to question and learn from managers like Johan Cruyff to Sir Bobby Robson and Van Gaal himself.

Giggs played a record 963 times for Manchester United over 23 seasons, winning a record 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues.

He learned two things under Sir Alex Ferguson; how to win year after year, and how to entertain, to do it in style. Both commodities are in short supply at Old Trafford at the moment.

Ferguson undeniably thinks his protege can make the giant leap from dressing room to manager's office. 'A special person,' is his assessment of the Welshman.

As a player, Giggs represented the panache that symbolised the Manchester United way. Something that has been so lacking this season.

If you wanted one moment to explain the incredible Ferguson legacy, it would be Giggs weaving in and out of Arsenal defenders to score a stunning individual goal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final, and then waving his shirt in the air in celebration. It saved United's Treble season.

When Fergie departed, Giggs was particularly unhappy at the way the club's attacking instincts were curbed under Moyes.

He was still a player at that stage and after the team's only great performance of that season, a 3-0 Champions League win against Olympiacos, Giggs was purring afterwards. 'Pace and power,' he repeated again and again. The United way, not Van Gaal's way, and not Mourinho's way either.

Giggs weaved through Arsenal's defence to score this famous goal in a 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay

Former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Giggs has what it takes to step up and become a manager

Giggs waves to the crowd at Old Trafford as Van Gaal makes his way to the home dugout earlier this month

Giggs ended that season as interim manager after Moyes had been sacked. He knows about United and the importance of homegrown players, dating back to Sir Matt Busby's time.

In his final game against Hull City, he also gave 18-year-old striker James Wilson his debut and he responded by scoring twice. Under Van Gaal, Wilson has been shipped out on loan to Brighton.

Of course, it will be a big risk appointing Giggs. But let's face it, at this stage of United's history, nothing is guaranteed; sticking with Van Gaal, bringing in Mourinho, even Guardiola. The team needs rebuilding, the values reintroducing.

Surely, the kid who joined United at 15 and never left is in the best position to deliver.

LEGENDS DIRECT... COULD GIGGS EMULATE THESE FIRST-TIME MANAGERS? KENNY DALGLISH (LIVERPOOL) Still reeling from the shock of Heysel in the summer of 1985, Liverpool turned to their star striker Kenny Dalglish when Joe Fagan announced suddenly he was resigning. King Kenny couldn't have had a greater impact. In his first season as player-manager, Liverpool won the first League and FA Cup Double in their history. When they lost Ian Rush to Juventus in 1987, he signed three players – John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge – to replace him, and built arguably the most entertaining team Anfield has ever seen. Dalglish resigned suddenly in 1991, still carrying the scars of the Hillsborough tragedy, with his status in the club's history assured. He won the League Cup in a second spell with the club and is still a hugely-admired ambassador for the club. Kenny Dalglish return to Liverpool as manager for a second time in 2011 and won the League Cup PEP GUARDIOLA (BARCELONA) Guardiola's only previous managerial experience had come with the Barcelona B team when he was placed in charge at the Nou Camp in 2008, aged 37. It didn't take long for the decision to be vindicated, in his first season Barca won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Champions League, defeating Manchester United in the final. Even more than the trophies, Guardiola cultivated a style that took world football into new territory. With Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta coming to the fore, Barca's tiki-taka passing game hardly gave the opposition a kick. The team was dominated by players who grew up in the club's academy, Guardiola understood them, he'd been a graduate himself. Guardiola's intensity meant he couldn't be a one-club man as a player or manager. He took a year's sabbatical, resurfaced at Bayern Munich where he has won the Bundesliga every season, and will come to the Premier League next season for a new challenge. KEVIN KEEGAN (NEWCASTLE UNITED) Keegan had spent his retirement on the golf courses of Spain and nobody expected him to be tempted into management, least of all by his former club Newcastle United who were languishing at the bottom of the Second Division. The rest is history. Keegan saved them from relegation, took them into the Premier League and oversaw the most glorious title challenge in English football when a team featuring David Ginola, Philippe Albert and Tino Asprilla were ultimately beaten at the post by Manchester United. Keegan went on to manage Manchester City, Fulham and England, and reappeared at Newcastle for a second time under Mike Ashley. But it'll be that first spell at St James' Park, when the whole city turned black and white, for which he will be best remembered. Kevin Keegan celebrates his first victory after returning to manage Newcastle for a second time in 2008 GIANLUCA VIALLI (CHELSEA) Few people expected Ken Bates to sack Ruud Gullit midway through the 1997-98 season – even fewer to see him turn to 33-year-old forward Gianluca Vialli and make him the club's new player-manager. In the short term, it was a undisputed success. Vialli played and managed as Chelsea won the 1998 European Cup Winners' Cup with a late winner from Gianfranco Zola. It was their first European trophy for nearly three decades and an important milestone in their emergence as one of the country's biggest clubs. GARRY MONK (SWANSEA CITY) When Swansea sacked the internationally-famous Michael Laudrup as manager in 2014, they turned to within the dressing-room to 35-year-old club captain Garry Monk as his successor. Although Monk himself left the club earlier this season, he is generally regarded as having been a big success in south Wales, adding steel to Swansea's traditional sophistication. They finished eighth last season with 56 points, a club record. Garry Monk was sacked by Swansea earlier this season, although he did lead them to eighth in 2014-15 Advertisement



