Manchester United's struggling Wayne Rooney should 'Do a Ryan Giggs' as he ages says David Beckham

                 On the Wayne: Despair for Rooney and United fans as another chance goes begging

Striker is short of goals with 30th birthday looming and Old Trafford legend claims "when you get older, you have to adapt your play. Giggsy was a prime example"

David Beckham says Wayne Rooney needs to follow the example of Ryan Giggs to extend his career. Manchester United legend Giggs went from pacey teenage winger to influential midfielder before finally retiring as a player at age 40, and Beckham believes England’s record goal-scorer needs to do the same.
Despite breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s Three Lions record with his 50th international goal, this has been a season of struggles so far for striker Rooney.
A hat-trick in the 7-1 aggregate Champions League qualifying stroll past Club Brugge and goals against Championship side Ipswich and still-winless Sunderland have failed to mask his malaise.
Rooney has scored just once in the Premier League since April 4 and is also approaching a full YEAR without a league goal away from Old Trafford.

 

                               End of an era: Ryan Giggs played 24 seasons for Man United before retiring in 2014

He turns 30 this month and finds himself at a critical point in his United career, with many fans believing he needs to be either benched or sold.
But former England skipper and United star Beckham — back at Old Trafford to promote a UNICEF charity fund-raising game being played there next month — believes Rooney is too good not get back to his best.
Beckham, who played on to the age of 38 in Major League Soccer, said of Rooney: “I don’t think you can ever write off a player that’s scored the number of goals he has.
“Players like that can always make you eat your words. But I think when you get older, you have to adapt your play.

"Giggsy was a prime example. He got to a certain age and then dropped into midfield a lot more and played that central role.
"I think Wayne will do the same.
“He’s an out-and-out goalscorer, but I think with Wayne, he’s proved he can step into the midfield and play. If you’re comfortable on the ball, as players such as Wayne and Giggsy are, you can do that.”

United have yet to win a trophy in the two-year post-Alex Ferguson era.
Although they suffered a sobering reality check with Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, Beckham believes current manager Louis van Gaal has them heading back in the right direction.
“There were a couple of seasons where we didn’t win things,” said Beckham. “We ended up with the FA Cup but not doing well in Champions League and the Premier League. So these things do happen at clubs.
“We’ve been spoilt over the years at United — being so successful over the last 20 years. 
“When the manager leaves and [chief executive] David Gill leaves [in the same summer] and a number of players stop playing and retire, like [Paul] Scholesy and Giggsy, no matter what club it is or how much money you have behind you, there’s going to be a dip in trophies. Unfortunately when you are Manchester united, you can’t really have that.
“There are tough moments, and I think the weekend was a tough loss but, other than that, we seem to be slowly gradually getting back to some excitement.”

Asked if he would like to play in the current United team, despite its perceived pragmatic nature under van Gaal, in contrast to the cavalier style of Ferguson’s teams, Beckham was unequivocal.
“Yeah, because I enjoy playing football anywhere,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who it was for or which players we had in the side, I always enjoyed playing the game.
“It’s hard for me to say whether it’s exciting or not. But I’d still love to play in this side.
"The game’s definitely changed. I think that, 10 years ago, it was all about getting five yards and crossing it. I know that I had Teddy [Sheringham], Coley [Andy Cole] or Yorkie [Dwight Yorke], players such as that, on the end of it.
“The game’s changed a lot now. There are a lot more wingers out there who are pacey and go to the byline, or try to cut in.
"It’s a lot different.”
Beckham is relishing being back at Old Trafford for the UNICEF game, which will see Ferguson return to his familiar position in the United dug-out.

 

“Since we announced this game, we’re already up to 60,000 tickets sold, which I’m still pinching myself about,” said Beckham. “That’s down to the boss and bringing him back to Old Trafford.
“It means so much to be bringing him back to the dug-out and is probably why we’ve had so much support from the fans.
“I’m sure each time he’s in the stadium, he wants to be down there on the touchline, shouting at players and referees.”
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