Giggs is a reminder of all things good and productive during Alex Ferguson's tenure.
Viswanathan Anand recently revealed how much his physical fitness preparations changed for the 2013 world championship from the regimen he employed before the 1995 title match. “I do in one day now (ahead of the duel with Magnus Carlsen) what I used to do in the entire camp before the match against G a r r y K a s p a rov, “ the chess ace added. If a cerebral sport like c h e s s demands so much physically these days, one can imagine the workload shouldered by football players. Football at the highest level has been more physical than ever, with the combined distance covered by players of two teams running well above 100 kilometres. It's in this context that the career of Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs becomes a modern-day wonder.
The Welshman played his 148th Champions League match in United's 5-0 romp against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday . He -not a spring chicken at the age of 40 -also played well despite not finding the back of the net. The career of Giggs and the story of United in the Premier League era are one and the same. Giggs is a reminder of all things good and productive during Alex Ferguson's tenure. It's a miracle that he still remains relevant for David Moyes, who received the poisoned chalice from Ferguson earlier this season.
The former flying winger has reinvented himself in a deeper midfield role. Even though his appearance bears no resemblance to today's top-notch footballer, it's to the credit of Giggs that he hasn't lost the compet itive fire in a young man's game. For the romantics a m o n g United's supporters, the slalom goal Giggs struck a g a i n s t Arsenal in the FA Cup to pave the way for the treble in 1999 will define the Welshman in the history of the Red Devils. For neutrals, though, his longevity will be more appealing.
Tough times ahead for Fifa
Sepp Blatter is no angel. It's an open secret. But the Fifa president also has his supporters, especially in new frontiers.
Blatter will forever be a hero in South Africa for playing a crucial role in bringing the World Cup to the old continent. The Swiss is facing heat for awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The delay in building new stadiums in Brazil for next year's World Cup and the alleged human right violations in Qatar have put his theory of taking Fifa's showpiece event outside Europe in jeopardy .
If something goes wrong in Brazil, the strident supporters of Europe within Fifa will gain more strength.
