Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs has ruled out managing Wales - for now.

The 36-year-old has been linked with the vacant post after previous boss John Toshack confirmed his resignation at the beginning of this month.

Some hoped he would follow in the footsteps of former United ace Mark Hughes, who took the Wales job in 1999 while still a player at Southampton.

But Giggs insists it would not be possible to do the same himself given United's UEFA Champions League commitments.

He said: "I am playing for Manchester United and am fully focussed on that.

"I just don't think you can do the two, especially at a club like United.

"I know Mark Hughes did them but it is a little bit different when you are playing Champions League."

Future

But Giggs, who has been taking his Uefa coaching badges, admits he would like to be manager of Wales in the future.

"One day I would like to do it but I didn't think about it this time," he said.

"Before I get any job I want to get all the necessary qualifications, I wouldn't take a job until I had them.

"I am halfway through my Uefa 'A' Licence at the moment, the idea being that I will be ready for it when I do finish."

While the Cardiff-born star admits he does not know whether he will like management until he tries it, he wants to maintain a link with the game when his playing days are over.

"I honestly don't know whether I would like it. Until you try it how can you?" he said.

"I will probably either love it or hate it.

"I enjoy helping young players and being out on the training ground. I enjoy the buzz of the game.

"But when you are not playing you are going to lose all that. How do you get it back? Coaching or managing."

Manchester United ace Rio Ferdinand has firmly put his trust in Sir Alex Ferguson's ability to manage his comeback.

The England skipper returned to action against Rangers earlier this month after suffering a knee injury in the build-up to the World Cup.

Since then, he has been limited to just one game a week, skippering United in the Carling Cup win at Scunthorpe before featuring in the UEFA Champions League victory at Valencia on Wednesday.

He would now like to play in Saturday's Premier League trip to Sunderland, but will let Ferguson decide what is best.

The defender said: "I feel I can play two games in a row.

"It is obvious I need games. I have been out for so long, to expect to come back and play matches on the bounce straightaway would be wrong.

"I will just do what the manager asks me to do.

Most experienced

"He is the most experienced man on the planet in football terms. I have to trust the manager's judgment and his views on me playing for the future of the season.

"If he deems it right for me to play on Saturday I would be delighted."

There has been speculation that Ferdinand has a problem with his back but the defender has denied this.

"It's rubbish really," he said.

"I did some stretching before the game last night but that was not for my back. That is just an assumption.

"My back is fine. There is no problem."

United have conceded nine goals in their past five Premier League games but Ferdinand does not see it as a massive problem.

No crisis

"A lot has been made about us not keeping clean sheets but I have been at all the games and have not seen us get opened up in a manner that would make it a real crisis," he said.

"We have been a little bit unfortunate and unlucky in certain circumstances, maybe even naive at points but I don't see it as a massive problem."

While United have thrown points away by conceding late goals at Fulham and Everton, Ferdinand believes a three-point gap on leaders Chelsea - who lost at Manchester City last weekend - is manageable.

"When you drop points against anyone you put yourself under pressure," he said.

"The seasons we have lost the league have been the ones where we have given teams a head start.

"It seemed like we were doing that until last weekend but now the gap is three again, which I wouldn't say it is a massive difference at this stage of the season.

"As long as we kick on from now and get on a good run of victories we will be all right."

Ryan Giggs is convinced Wayne Rooney will be fit and back to his best sooner rather than later.

The veteran winger believes the attention Rooney is receiving in the media at the moment is just part and parcel of being a Manchester United player.

Rooney's Premier League goal in the 3-0 victory against West Ham was the 24-year-old's first for the club since March, although he is currently out of action for up to three weeks because of an ankle injury.

Giggs is adamant that nobody at Old Trafford is worried about his recent form, amid allegations over his private life, and believes he will eventually come through his poor spell when he is back fit.

Quality

The 36-year-old told Sky Sports News: "Wayne is obviously a quality player. The season he had last year, scoring so many goals. He was single-handedly winning games for us at times.

"There is a lot of pressure on world class players and Wayne is certainly that.

"Because he hasn't started the season on fire, nobody is worried at the club. It is a long season and we all know what a quality player he is.

"We said at the start of the campaign, we cannot rely on Wayne like we have done. We did do last year.

"So, when Wayne starts scoring, we'll be in extremely good shape."

Criticism

Giggs expects the England forward to come through the recent criticism he has received by the media and supporters over the past few weeks.

"It's part and parcel of being a United player, being a quality player, and playing for England," said the Welshman.

"If you're not banging goals in and you're not playing every week you're open to that criticism.

"There are 27 players in the squad, it's not all about one player."

"Wayne started playing when he was 16, you can't go throughout your career without people having a go at you.

"I've had it numerous times through my career. That's what happens when you're playing at such a big club."