Man Utd legend backed off the boards to finally get a job

Anyone wondering when former Manchester United assistant coach Ryan Giggs – who led the Red Devils for four games at the end of 2013/14 – will finally show up in a permanent managerial role may be answered over the next few days.

Following Gary Caldwell’s somewhat-harsh sacking by Wigan, former MK Dons manager Karl Robinson was the early favourite to take the reins at the DW Stadium, but that mantle is now shared with Giggs after a flurry of bets.

Having opened at 7/2, the 42-year-old Welshman is now top-price 6/4 joint-favourite alongside Robinson, with former Everton coach Graeme Jones – who followed Roberto Martinez to the Belgium international side during the summer – another interesting contender at 16s.

Giggs has already missed out on the big job at Old Trafford a couple of times, having to settle for deputy to Louis van Gaal during the Dutchman’s two-season stint in the north west and breaking ties with United after 29 years following Jose Mourinho’s appointment as boss last summer.

The many-medalled former winger hit back after his alleged ‘underwhelming’ interview for the job of Swansea boss, when US investors opted to replace Francesco Guidolin with countryman Bob Bradley, by insisting he received ‘mixed messages’ from a club whose ambitions didn’t match his.

Does that mean he wouldn’t lower himself to the second tier? It seems unlikely Giggs would turn his nose up at Wigan after being rejected by the Premier League’s 19^th-place outfit.

After the Latics’ horrorshow 2014/15 campaign, when the appointment and sacking of disgraced former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay eventually paved the way for relegation to League One, Caldwell achieved much in getting them back up first time.

The season is still salvageable, although promotion looks highly unlikely, with 11 points accrued from 14 games so far leaving Wigan in 23^rd place, yet only six points off Burton all the way up in 15^th.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.