Giggs on the spot for uefa.com

Ryan Giggs has won just about everything there is to win in 17 seasons at Manchester United FC. But as he reveals to uefa.com, a brief appearance in The Simpsons still ranks as one of the highlights of his career. Here he answers your questions.

How many more seasons do you intend to play and do you plan on to spend them at Old Trafford?
Michael Greenberg, Atlanta, GA USA

Ryan Giggs: I do look after myself so I'd like to think that over the next two or three years I will still have plenty more to offer at the highest level. Hopefully I will spend that time at Old Trafford with Manchester United.

What is your opinion of teams who create success by buying the great players and ignoring their youth systems?
Zlatko Maric

Giggs: Speaking from my own experience, at our club Manchester United it's in our history for local young players to come through. It's what the fans want - they like seeing young players coming from their local area and getting a chance to play in the first team. If other clubs want to go out and buy ready-made world class players then good luck to them, that's their business. But for a club like ours with so much history and where so much is put into the youth development system it's really important that the fans can see players that they really relate to who have grown up in the local area.

How did you feel when you were mentioned in the Simpsons episode The Regina Monlogues where Homer said: "Can you believe they gave Giggs a yellow card in the box!"?
Oliver

Giggs: I didn't actually see it but my mate who watches it all the time rang me up and said, 'You've finally made it - you're on the Simpsons!' I was chuffed! I watch it, but I don't watch it all the time or anything like that. But so many really famous people have been on the Simpsons, so it was brilliant to be mentioned on it.

Ryan, diving has seemingly become a big problem in the Premiership. Do you think it's as big a problem in the UEFA Champions League and Europe as a whole?
Paul, Boston, Massachussets, USA

Giggs: Yes I do, it's more accepted on the continent. In the Premiership it has always happened but now that there are so many cameras and there is so much coverage a lot is being made of it. Sadly, it's part and parcel of football. Players have been doing it in this country for years and years, but this season everyone seems to be highlighting it. Every team in the Premiership is fighting for something, so it is important to get the right result. Subsequently, if somebody gets a penalty from a player diving a lot is made of it. Personally I think it's the responsibility of the players and the managers to try and put a stop to it.

How important a signing is Henrik Larsson for United?
Adrian

Giggs: Henrik Larsson is a quality player and he showed that last year at Barcelona. I'm sure he'll do well for us. He's a goalscorer and there are not that many people around who are natural goalscorers. He will be there for us if we get injuries, and at the moment we are a bit light up front if we get injuries. With Larsson available from January we will have a lot more strength in depth so it's an important signing.

Who do you think is the most skilful player of the last 15 years?
Yared Tesfaye, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Giggs: I think you've always got to look at the Brazilians because of Ronaldinho and the likes of Ronaldo. The way they play the game with such pace, balance and good control of the ball is great. Ronaldinho is a bit more of a showman than the rest but there are players like [Luís] Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo to consider too! There have been a lot of very skilful players over the last 15 years - but if you're looking for someone who is a master of showboating I'd have to pick out Ronaldinho.

How have you managed to work with Sir Alex Ferguson for all these years without falling out with him?
Wycliffe Sidwaka, Kenya

Giggs: Ha-ha! There is a mutual respect between us, but over the years I must admit that we have fallen out from time to time. We are both fighting for the same cause - to win games for Manchester United - and if we do fall out it's soon forgotten about the next day. We are both hungry for success at Manchester United so sometimes you do lose your temper but we always get over it.

Ryan, as a winger which current Champions League team have you traditionally had the most difficulty against?
Kareem El-Hini, Cairo

Giggs: It's always a test as a winger coming up against Italian teams. They take so much care in the way they are defensively. Coming up against the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan, they are matches that really test you because more often than not you are marked by a real top quality full-back and their midfielders also drop back to help their full-backs. I've always found it be a real test of my ability.

Hi Ryan, I've followed your career since the Nineties and I fell in love with your long curly hair! Any plans to grow it again?
Azham Shaari, Malaysia

Giggs: Unfortunately I don't think my hair will go curly anymore! The days of me having long hair are long gone.

What's changed since last year apart from the signing of Michael Carrick and the return of Paul Scholes that's made you improve so much?
Maurice Walsh

Giggs: I think having Scholesy back, the addition of Michael Carrick, and also having Gabriel Heinze, Alan Smith and [Ole Gunnar] Solskjær back is crucial. All these players have strengthened our squad. Also, the young players like [Darren] Fletcher, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney have all grown up an extra year, so with all that coming together it's helped. I also think we know we needed to be more consistent and with the added experience and maturity we've started to find that consistency.

How important is discipline and family support in a footballer's life?
Tumelo Mofokeng

Giggs: It's important to have the right balance in your life as a footballer, especially the older you get. When you are young you can go out and do things that 18 and 19 year old lads can do and in the next day's training, or at the next match, you will be able to recover in time. As you get older you realise your body doesn't recover as quickly, so you need to adjust your lifestyle. For me personally having a young family with two kids now, I have a great balance in my life and I think it has helped my footballing career.

Do you think winning the UEFA Champions League is a realistic possibility for Manchester United this season?
Siavesh, Iran

Giggs: It's something that we will certainly try! There are some real top teams still left in there and it is a very tough competition to win. You need everything going for you. You obviously need to play well and you need that little bit of luck, but we have definitely got the players to do it. Our aim is to try and win the Premiership and the Champions League and we're confident that if we keep our form up we'll have a great chance.

This article is taken from the uefa.com Magazine.