Ryan Giggs hired as new Wales boss

The Football Association of Wales elected Ryan Giggs as the national team's new manager on Monday.

Manchester United's record appearance holder apparently beat Craig Bellamy, Osian Roberts, and Mark Bowen to the post, and inherits a side that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup under his predecessor and former international colleague Chris Coleman.

The role will be Giggs' first full-time gig as a manager. He previously served as assistant to David Moyes and Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, and took over as caretaker manager for four matches when the former was sacked. When Jose Mourinho took the reins at Old Trafford in the summer of 2016, he quickly relieved Giggs of his duties and brought in his own staff.

The retired winger has been out of work since, but he has been linked to numerous jobs. Giggs was a leading candidate for the Swansea City position last season, but the Premier League outfit instead opted for Bob Bradley in October 2016.

As a player, Giggs represented his country 64 times between 1991-2007, but his commitment often came under scrutiny due to him regularly pulling out of squads for friendly matches. If he was trying to conserve his energy, it worked: Giggs won 13 Premier League titles, three FA Cup winners medals, three League Cups, and two Champions Leagues with Manchester United.

Giggs' greatest competition for the Wales job was believed to be Bellamy. The former striker, who led a nomadic playing career, works in the Cardiff City academy, and reportedly gave a "Hollywood interview" to the FAW panel.

But Giggs was preferred ahead of Bellamy, a prominent long-term member of the Welsh setup in Roberts, and Bowen, who's spent much of his coaching career as No. 2 to Mark Hughes. Tony Pulis was also in the frame but chose to assume control of Middlesbrough last month.