15/08/2009 13:00 - ManUtd.com, Gemma Thompson
Giggs relishing big kick-off
Ryan Giggs may be getting ready for his 20th season in a red shirt, but he's as excited as ever and can't wait for kick-off on Sunday against Birmingham City...
The fans have been counting down the days until the big kick-off this weekend - are the players the same?
Yes, we're all very excited and just want to get on with it. I don't think any player likes pre-season because of the obvious hard work and running! The games are all about fitness really so we're all looking forward to getting going on Sunday.
How will United approach the new campaign?
We'll just approach it the same as any other really. We're champions and we know everyone will be out to beat us, but we're used to that. The challenges are there for us, both as individuals and as a team. You just have to prepare yourself properly, make sure you have that hunger and desire and enjoy yourself.
Are you starting the season with any pre-conceived ideas that this might be your last?
No, I'm just really excited. I take every season as it comes now. If I'm enjoying my football and I'm fit then I'll carry on. I felt good last season and I've felt good during pre-season this time and I'll just go out and try to enjoy myself. At 35, coming up to 36 in November, the last couple of years have been a bonus for me really. I'm still playing at a top club and enjoying it more than ever.
Do you think they'll be a point where you'll make a decision or will you just see how things go?
No, I'm just focused on the season. I don't think you can afford to spend time thinking about that because you've got to put all your energy into playing for United and performing to your best.
You've achieved so much in your career, but what would winning four titles in a row mean to you?
Well that's the challenge for us. It's never been done before and this club is pretty good at setting new records, hopefully we can do that. It's such a tough league to win - the usual big four will be up there. Obviously no-one knows what's going to happen at City so we'll have to wait and see with them. They've obviously acquired some quality players, but it just depends whether they gel quickly or if it takes a little bit of time. We're just focused on doing our best and and if we could do it, it would certainly be a great achievement.
How do you assess the strength of the squad?
We've certainly got a big squad and there's been a good emergence of young talent in Kiko [Macheda], Welbeck, Fabio, Rafael and Darron Gibson which is very exciting to see. With the additions of Michael [Owen] and Antonio [Valencia] as well, I think the squad is really strong. Obviously everyone is looking at how we're going to cope without Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Carlos [Tevez], but we've done alright in pre-season and things are looking good.
What have you made of Michael Owen's performances so far?
I think you've seen during pre-season that Michael is a top goalscorer. You never lose that knack of getting into the right positions and putting the ball in the back of the net. It's something you're born with. He's been our top scorer during pre-season and that just proves his quality.
What impact will the departure of Ronaldo have on the team?
I've seen many great players come and go at this club, but that's part and parcel of being a footballer. As a player you don't think about it, it's more the fans and the media who talk about it.
The manager has talked about playing Wayne Rooney in his favoured position up front this season - how much will he relish that opportunity?
A lot has been made of where his best position is, but I think he's a centre-forward. He's just that good a footballer than he can perform well elsewhere in the team and he did that last season. It seems now that he'll play the majority of the games up front and he'll be the person we'll be looking at to score the goals because he's such a great player.