Ryan Giggs quit international football in June 2007 after 64 Wales caps

Gary Speed has hinted that he wants Welsh football great Ryan Giggs to be groomed as his managerial successor.

Speed admits he does not expect the Manchester United star to return to play for Wales but he has held talks about Giggs joining his backroom team.

New Wales boss Speed said: "It would be great if Ryan got involved in the Welsh football infrastructure somewhere.

"As when I move on and go somewhere else, if Ryan is already involved then he would be the perfect one."

Giggs, who replaced Speed as Wales skipper in 2004, is Wales' most famous footballer and the 64-times capped international quit playing for his country in June 2007 to help prolong his club career.

The 37-year-old is Manchester United's most decorated player, including two Champions League wins and a record 11 Premier League crowns, and the one-club man has a contract at Old Trafford until the summer.

Giggs, who is halfway through his Uefa 'A' Licence qualifications, ruled himself out of replacing John Toshack as Wales boss but Speed has spoken to Giggs about getting involved with his new Wales set-up.

Gary Speed was replaced as Wales captain by Ryan Giggs in 2004

"I've spoken to Ryan but I'm not sure what his plans are," Speed told Sky Sports.

"I'm not sure he'll be coming back to play but if we can get him on board in any way it would be great.

"He is still a great player and he doesn't know what his future holds."

Giggs could earn a new playing contract at Manchester United for next season and the legendary winger has been told by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson that he has a coaching future at Old Trafford.

Speed has made finalising his backroom team his top priority.

The 41-year-old, who succeeded Toshack as coach of the national side, wants his management team to be a "mixture of an experienced and younger coach".

John Carver, the former Newcastle United and Leeds United assistant, was Speed's right-hand man during the former Wales captain's four-month reign in his first managerial job at Sheffield United.

Carver was caretaker-manager at United until Micky Adams replaced Speed full-time and Carver has now left Bramall Lane and is without a job, so he could follow Speed to the Football Association of Wales.

Osian Roberts, the Welsh Football Trust's technical director, has also been linked with a position as Speed's number two while Wales youth coach Brian Flynn, who Speed beat to the Wales top job, has also been suggested as an ideal assistant for Speed.

Now Speed has hinted that fellow former Wales captain Giggs, his long-time former international team-mate, could be considered in his Welsh backroom team even though both are inexperienced coaches.

"I want to bring the best people in for the sake of Welsh football," Speed said.

"I want a good coach to do the day-to-day coaching sessions on the training pitch whereas I do more team shape.

"Then I would like an experienced man behind me who has had experience at maybe Premier League and international football because I'm relatively young."

Speed admits he "has some work to do" on creating his management team before finalising appointments in the new year, before his first Wales game against Republic of Ireland in the Four Associations' Tournament opener on 8 February.

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