Ryan Giggs has stepped down as Wales coach with immediate effect and said that he did not want his upcoming trial on charges of domestic violence to destabilize the national team heading into its first appearance at the World Cup since 1958.
The Manchester United great has been on leave from his post since November 2020, with his assistant, Robert Page, guiding the Welsh to the World Cup in Qatar via the European playoffs this month.
Giggs is accused of controlling and coercive behavior against his former girlfriend from August 2017 to November 2020. He is also accused of assaulting her and her sister. The trial is due to start on Aug. 8.
Giggs has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A backlog of cases at Manchester Crown Court has delayed the start of the trial.
Giggs played a record 963 times for Man United before retiring in 2014. He also made 64 appearances for Wales and was hired as coach of his national team in January 2018.
Giggs qualified Wales for the most recent European Championship, which was delayed by 12 months to 2021 because of the pandemic. Page led the Welsh in that tournament.
