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Wales national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Mar 24, 2019 at 2pm UK
 
Slovakia national football team

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Wales boss Giggs: "I put myself under pressure"

Wales boss Giggs:
© Reuters
The former Manchester United star succeeded Chris Coleman in January 2018.

Ryan Giggs is determined to win over his Wales doubters after acknowledging that the 2020 European Championship campaign will define his time as national-team manager.

Wales start their Euro 2020 qualifiers at home to Slovakia on Sunday, with the jury still out on Giggs' 14 months in charge since he succeeded Chris Coleman.

On the face of it, Giggs has had an average return of three wins, one draw and five defeats from his nine games in charge.

Ryan Giggs has won three of his nine matches in charge of Wales, losing five
Ryan Giggs has won three of his nine matches in charge of Wales, losing five (David Davies/PA)

But the former Manchester United star has fast-tracked an exciting group of young players into the senior set-up, and the 4-1 demolition of the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League last September saw Wales produce some scintillating football.

Wales eventually finished second in their Nations League group behind Denmark and Giggs said: "I put myself under pressure last year so whether it's a honeymoon period or not, I'm not too sure.

"I put myself under pressure. That's the only pressure I feel really.

"I think I will be judged on the qualifying games, I knew that going into the job.

Chris Coleman led Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016
Chris Coleman led Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 (Nick Potts/PA)

"Getting Wales to a major championships, that's how I will be judged."

Coleman guided Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, the country's first appearance at a major tournament for 58 years.

But Coleman's six-year stay came to an end after Wales failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"People do expect (qualification), understandably because of what we achieved at Euro 2016," Giggs said.

"But it's been once in 60 years, so we don't qualify on a regular basis.

"That's what my job is now to qualify or at least compete. We didn't qualify for the World Cup, but we competed.

"In the past we nearly got somewhere and in the next campaign we were nowhere near.

"We want to be competing or getting close on a consistent basis.

Wales v Republic of Ireland – UEFA Nations League – League B – Group 4 – Cardiff City Stadium
Giggs' Wales beat the Republic of Ireland 4-1 in September (Mike Egerton/PA)

"If we do that then we will get to more championships than not."

Giggs' commitment – or the perceived lack of it – has attracted criticism from some quarters in Wales given his ambassadorial, business and consultancy interests around the world.

The 45-year-old is involved with a football academy in Vietnam and is also an ambassador for the Champions League, as well as holding various commercial interests.

"My primary job is to get Wales to a European Championship," Giggs said ahead of Wednesday's pre-Slovakia friendly with Trinidad and Tobago in Wrexham.

"Yes, I've got other commitments that the FAW (Football Association of Wales) knew before I took over.

Ryan Giggs insists he is 100 per cent committed to Wales
Giggs insists he is 100 per cent committed to Wales (Liam McBurney/PA)

"I've been to Vietnam, which gives me five days on the grass coaching, and I was in South Africa for three days as an ambassador for the Champions League.

"But I'm being introduced as the Welsh manager and that can only be good in my eyes.

"I have other commitments, but I take the job of managing Wales very seriously and I'm 100 per cent committed."

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Wales manager Ryan Giggs ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark on September 9, 2018
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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

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Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

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Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

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Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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