• Former United winger insists James is not a cheat after caution for simulation at Wolves.
• James was called up by Giggs for Wales’ World Cup qualifiers next week.
Image: /REUTERS
Ryan Giggs has called for Manchester United winger Daniel James to be better protected by Premier League referees, but insists the 21-year-old is no cheat.
United and Wales starlet James moved to Old Trafford this summer and was booked for diving as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side drew 1-1 with Wolves at Molineux on Monday. James was booed throughout the rest of the game after he received a yellow card from Jonathan Moss in the 24th minute following a tussle with Joao Moutinho.
“Dan gets kicked a lot. Sometimes when you anticipate it, it can look like a dive,” said United legend and Wales boss Giggs, who handed James his international bow.
“With the speed he’s going at it can look worse. He gets a lot of stick and referees need to protect him, but I’m not worried.”
James scored on his top-flight debut for United in a 4-0 win over Chelsea and started the draw with Wolves before being substituted late on.
“I’ve watched a lot of the pre-season games and Dan did well in them. He’s playing on the right,” said Giggs. “He usually plays on the left. It gives me a different option as well. He’s done fantastic. I was at the game when he scored and his movement is very good. As a midfielder, I wouldn’t have minded playing behind a player like that.”
“I thought he did well the other night against Wolves. He took a bit of stick, but I thought he grew into the game. His work ethic was really good at a difficult place.”
Giggs named James in his Wales squad for the must-win Euro 2020 qualifier with Azerbaijan and the friendly with Belarus next month but left out Ashley Williams who is poised to join Bristol City. Veteran defender Williams, 34, has been without a club this summer and has had no pre-season training.
Giggs has also told Newcastle defender Paul Dummett his international career his over after he again turned down the opportunity to join the Welsh squad. Gareth Bale will captain Wales against Azerbaijan in the absence of Williams after a summer in which he came close to leaving Real Madrid for Chinese side Jiangsu Suning.
Bale is now back in favour at Madrid under Zinedine Zidane who had been determined to sell Wales’ best player.
“Now it looks like they have sorted their differences out and Gareth is playing,” Giggs said. “You can’t take anything for granted in football because it can change quite quickly. I’ve always said he’s at a fantastic club. A couple of weeks ago we wouldn’t have seen this situation. It was a strange one, but hopefully, now it’s sorted. I’m looking forward to him meeting up.”
On Dummett, who has five caps, Giggs added: “I spoke to Paul and he wanted to concentrate on club football. I think that will be it.”