Jaap Stam: Ryan Giggs can help Man Utd youngsters improve

Jaap Stam has hailed Manchester United’s “amazing” Ryan Giggs and backed the veteran to help the club’s youngsters improve.

The former Red Devils centre-half, who spent three seasons at Old Trafford, will return to Ajax next season after agreeing to join the Eredivisie champions’ coaching staff.

Frank De Boer is currently in charge of the Amsterdam outfit, with other great players from the club’s decorated past such as Denis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars also involved in the set-up.

And Stam believes United can learn from the Ajax blueprint, although the retired Dutch defender admits Giggs is already playing a part in helping the club’s more inexperienced players.

When asked if the Red Devils should utilise the experience of Giggs and Paul Scholes, Stam told United’s website: “I’m sure of it. Of course, they need to back themselves but, if you see those players with the knowledge they have got of what do on the pitch, they can help players out in certain situations and make it clear to them.

“I think players develop even quicker if players like that help them out in a certain way at a younger age. Ryan Giggs is amazing with what he is doing every time I see him. I am thinking: ‘Well, well. I could have done that as well but I don’t really think so!’.

“I think Sir Alex Ferguson managed him very well as a player of a certain age sometimes needs a rest at certain times. His skills are very important for United so he’s got a good mixture between playing and having a rest. I think that’s very important at United.

“I appreciate what Scholesy and Giggsy have been doing and what they’ve done for the club. It’s great and, like I’ve spoken before, at United in the first team, you’ve got young players in there as well as players like Scholes and Giggs and that can only help those players joining the first team.”