Ryan Giggs promised to be professional and "fun" after being appointed the new manager of Wales on a four-year contract that will run through Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, according to Gary Jacob of the LONDON TIMES. It is his first managerial role since he left ManU, "where he was a player and assistant manager." The 44-year-old was favored over Craig Bellamy, his former Wales teammate "who was among the four people interviewed last week." Chris Coleman, the country’s "most successful manager," stepped down in November and took charge of League Championship side Sunderland. Giggs said, "I played 64 times for my country. I'd like to think I'll be the same kind of manager as I was a player, with professionalism but also a little bit of fun along the way." Giggs, who debuted as a 17-year-old, was "overlooked for the Wales job" when Coleman was named manager in '12 and was reported to have given an "underwhelming" interview when EPL side Swansea City considered him in Oct. '16. Giggs worked and learned under Alex Ferguson and Louis van Gaal at ManU. He is "also a global name who will help to market the team internationally" (LONDON TIMES, 1/15).
