Just days after Man Utd finally agreed to break their mold for contract renewals for the over 30s, offering Ryan Giggs a two-year extension to his current deal, manager Sir Alex Ferguson relegates the Welsh winger to the bench for his sixth FA Cup final.
Giggs, 31, is United's longest serving player and one of the most decorated in the English game, with only Alan Hansen and Phil Neal of
How frustrating must it have been for local boy Giggs to have to wait until the minute to be introduced to the last FA Cup final to be held in his home town, and even then be unable to help his side win the game, not being selected as a penalty taker, with Paul Scholes the unfortunate player to miss, condemning Man Utd to defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Arsenal.
In his thirteenth season in top flight football, it is amazing that this is only the second time in that spell that Giggs has failed to win a medal of some sorts in a season.
United were clearly on top for much of the game and were robbed of a trophy by Arsenal, however, as reports say Sir Alex Ferguson will be in charge at Old Trafford for a further three years, there will be some that believe the most successful manager in the modern era English game should retire sooner rather than later with the gaffer being to blame for another poor season where defeats weren't uncommon, and tactical errors led to his side's undoing.
Had Giggs started the game yesterday, there is no doubt in my mind that United would have won, with Giggs providing a better attacking force with Gigg's pace, ability to cross and have a go at defenders.
You don't have to be a United fan to remember that stunning goal against Arsenal in 1999 at Villa Park. Giggs' work rate when he was introduced to the game yesterday shows what he could have done had he been on from the off, or introduced early in the second half.
Shame