The Libero - Evergreen Giggs deserves the accolades

Published: 16 Dec 2009 - 08:37:22

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Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether Sunday's surprise winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Ryan Giggs, is a deserved recipient of the prestigious gong.

There can be no denying that Giggs is a living, breathing (and still playing) Manchester United legend. Both on and off the pitch he has been and continues to be an ambassador like no other, not only for his beloved club, but also for the sport itself.

That Sir Alex Ferguson, never the easiest man to please, is one of the Welshman's biggest advocates speaks volumes.

One of Fergie's better quotes superbly sums up the manager's feelings for his protégé: "He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind." And how about this gem: "Whether dribbling or sprinting, Ryan can leave the best defenders with twisted blood". Brilliantly evocative and right on the money.

Clearly Ferguson has equal amounts of admiration and affection for Giggs, and not just because it was the United boss who had the foresight to nick him from the clutches of Manchester City at a young age, take him across town to Old Trafford and nurture him into the player he is today.

Giggs has paid back everything Ferguson has invested in him over the years. And then some.

An incredible 18-and-a-half-year, one-club career has seen him gather an incredible trophy haul, consisting of (deep breath...) 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups, three League Cups, seven Charity Shields, a European Super Cup, an Intercontinental Cup and a Club World Cup, not to mention numerous individual awards, including the latest one.

Away from the game too, Giggs is an ideal role model. Not since the early days, when fame and fortune were new to him and a celebrity girlfriend seemed like a good idea, has his name appeared in the gossip columns. Now, he is very much a family man, seemingly more concerned about helping to save his old local pub in the suburbs of Manchester than getting caught by the paps looking 'tired and emotional' upon leaving a city centre night spot at 3am.

But are we not getting a little carried away here? This is the kind of eulogy a player receives when he calls time on his career and hangs up his boots. Or indeed the kind found in an obituary.

Not only is Giggs alive and kicking, at the ripe old age of 36 he has no plans to retire just yet and has indicated a desire to put in a 20th season of full service to United following the current campaign.

So why the need to wax lyrical about Giggs's long and glorious career now, in the wake of him picking up the coveted Sports Personality award, which supposedly celebrates the past 12 months only? It wasn't a lifetime achievement award he picked up, after all.

The truth is that there has been little to crow about on a personal level for Giggs in 2009. Yes he won another Premier League title, reached another Champions League final and put in several outstanding performances along the way, but otherwise he has seen better years on the pitch.

But to celebrate his award, to justify it, it has been necessary to look beyond the past 12 months. Otherwise there has been nothing to make him stand out from his fellow contenders - most of them world champions in their respective, equally competitive, sports in 2009.

What Giggs has managed to do this year is capture the public's imagination. The way he has matured and developed his style of play to cope with the loss of his once electric pace, defying the years to continue competing at the highest level has endeared him to many, and understandably so.

Bearing that in mind, and considering this was a public vote, perhaps the result should not have come as any surprise. It may smack of sentimentality, but even so, it is difficult to begrudge Giggs, the consummate professional, his moment of personal glory.