Ryan Giggs named Wales manager: Ex-Manchester United star succeeds Chris Coleman on four-year deal

The 44-year-old will take charge of the national team despite having no previous experience as a manager

Ryan Giggs has been named Wales manager on a four-year deal (Getty)

Ryan Giggs has been named as the new Wales manager, succeeding Chris Coleman, on a four-year contract in what will be the former Manchester United midfielder's first full role after previously working as the club's assistant.

The 44-year-old, whose last role came at United under Louis van Gaal, will take up the job with immediate effect and prepare Wales for their 2020 European Championship qualifying campaign, which begins towards the end of this year.

Giggs replaces Coleman after the former Fulham and Coventry City manager decided to leave when Wales failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, losing out to the Republic of Ireland in the hunt for a play-off spot. Coleman has since returned to work with Sunderland, who sit bottom of the Championship table.

The Football Association of Wales confirmed the news on Twitter, with an official press conference due to take on Monday afternoon to unveil Giggs as the new manager.

Having won 64 caps for Wales after making his debut in 1991 until his international retirement in 2007, Giggs remains the most successful British football thanks to the 13 Premier League titles that he won with United, along with four FA Cups, three League Cups and two Champions League crowns winners’ medals.

However, he was criticised during his career for regularly pulling out of international squads with injury and missing friendly matches, and there is a belief that he should have reached a century of appearances for his country had he been available throughout his 16-year international career.

Giggs was interviewed alongside Coleman’s former assistant Osian Roberts, as well as former Wales striker Craig Bellamy and Mark Bowen. Giggs' only experience in charge of a team came in his four-match spell as United's interim manager following the sacking of David Moyes at the end of the 2013/14 season.