Ryan Giggs deserves to be knighted-Wayne Rooney

Manchester United striker
Wayne Rooney has hailed
team-mate Ryan Giggs as
one of the greatest players
in the club's history and
believes it is only a matter of
time before the Welshman is
knighted.
Giggs, 37, played a starring
role for Sir Alex Ferguson's
men as they defeated
Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate
to knock their domestic
rivals out of the Champions
League quarter-finals.
After the match Ferguson
singled out the former Wales
international for his
performance, calling it
"unique" and "incredible",
and Rooney has added to the
torrent of praise directed in
Giggs' direction.
Rooney told talkSPORT: "He
is just incredible. What he's
done for Manchester
United and what he's done
for the young players, it's
absolutely fantastic to have
him at the club.
"He's a genius and I don't
think it'll be too long before
we're calling him Sir Ryan in
my opinion."
Rooney was also effusive
about fellow United veteran
Paul Scholes, 36, who, like
Giggs, has been able to call
upon his years of
experience at the highest
level to help nurture the
club's next generation of
superstars.
Rooney said: "Scholes is the
best footballer who I have
ever played with, his vision,
his passing, everything
about him. He's world class.
"Over the course of the
season the manager has
brought in a lot of younger
players and it's worked, the
likes of Chris Smalling, Javier
Hernandez, Darron Gibson.
"With these guys we've
managed to get the results
we needed and we're
progressing as a team. The
future looks good for us and
we're on the up."
Rooney's form is also on the
up, despite certain high-
profile issues which have
blighted his season, the most
recent being the swearing
incident on camera for which
he picked up a two-match
ban and will miss Saturday's
FA Cup semi-final against
Man City.
Rooney added: "It's been a
tough season for me, but I'm
pleased with my form and the
results we're getting. I'm
playing in a slightly different
position now which means I'm
getting more of the ball and
can dictate the game.
"It is frustrating to miss the
FA Cup semi. With the
swearing I didn't realise what
I'd done, it was just emotions
being released. I'd scored
goals to get us back into the
race and as soon as I
realised what I'd done I was
sorry.
"It was wrong and I accept
my punishment and I just
hope the boys can do the job
and get us through to the
final."
Rooney has shown no ill-
effects from the swearing
furore. However, he is
bewildered at the storm
created by a parting of the
ways with former sponsors
Coca-Cola, which actually
took place last year.
"It makes me laugh," he said.
"I spoke with Coke towards
the end of last season about
signing a new deal and with
the Olympics coming up they
wanted a bit more of my time
to do more commercial
appearances. I just didn't
have the time to do it.
"This all happened at the
end of last season so I
haven't been with Coca-Cola
since 2010 but it's only just
come out now.
"It makes me laugh when
people say I have been
dropped by them."