Giggs Retrial Abandoned as CPS Drops Assault Charges 

Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
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Giggs Retrial Abandoned as CPS Drops Assault Charges 

Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)

The retrial of ex-Manchester United player Ryan Giggs over domestic violence allegations has been abandoned after the charges were withdrawn by Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Tuesday.

Giggs, 49, faced charges of causing actual bodily harm to his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, along with controlling and coercive behavior. He also faced a charge of common assault of Greville's sister, Emma.

In a trial last year, the jury was discharged after failing to reach verdicts on the charges. Giggs denied all charges and a trial date of July 31 was set during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

However, Kate was no longer willing to give evidence in a retrial as the process had taken a toll on her and her sister, according to a BBC report.

"We have determined there is no longer sufficient evidence available to proceed in respect of the controlling or coercive behavior charge and that it is no longer in the public interest to prosecute the remaining assault charges," a CPS spokesperson said.

Giggs made 963 appearances over 23 years for Manchester United, a club record, winning a haul of honors, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies.

He represented Wales 64 times between 1991 and 2007 and took over as national coach in 2018.

He was replaced as Wales manager after initially stepping aside in late 2020 due to the case, with Rob Page taking over as national coach.



Amorim Says Future ‘Hasn’t Been Decided’ as Man United Shows Interest in Sporting Lisbon Coach

 Sporting's coach Ruben Amorim attends a training session on the eve of their UEFA Champions League football match against SK Sturm Graz at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy in Alcochete, outskirts of Lisbon, on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting's coach Ruben Amorim attends a training session on the eve of their UEFA Champions League football match against SK Sturm Graz at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy in Alcochete, outskirts of Lisbon, on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
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Amorim Says Future ‘Hasn’t Been Decided’ as Man United Shows Interest in Sporting Lisbon Coach

 Sporting's coach Ruben Amorim attends a training session on the eve of their UEFA Champions League football match against SK Sturm Graz at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy in Alcochete, outskirts of Lisbon, on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting's coach Ruben Amorim attends a training session on the eve of their UEFA Champions League football match against SK Sturm Graz at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy in Alcochete, outskirts of Lisbon, on September 21, 2024. (AFP)

Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim said Tuesday his future "hasn’t been decided yet" amid interest from Manchester United.

"Nobody knows if this was my farewell match, or if there will be a farewell match," Amorim said in quotes reported by Portugal’s sports daily A Bola after Sporting’s 3-1 win over Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup quarterfinals.

Hours earlier, Sporting released a statement to the Lisbon Stock Exchange, saying it has told United that Amorim has a release clause worth 10 million euros ($10.8 million) in his contract.

The Portuguese champions said United "has shown interest" in paying that amount for Amorim.

United is looking to replace Erik ten Hag, who was fired on Monday with the team languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

Ten Hag was the 20-time English champions' fifth permanent manager since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. United hasn't won the league since Ferguson's departure.

The 39-year-old Amorim has coached Sporting since 2020, leading the team to Portuguese league titles in 2021 and last season.

Sporting leads the league this season, too, having won all nine of its games, bolstering Amorim's reputation as one of Europe's most talented coaches.

"We have to wait a little bit more to explain everything I need to explain. It will be very clear," he said.

Amorim said he expects to still be in Lisbon on Sunday, when United hosts Chelsea in the Premier League, but when pressed he laughed and said: "I don't know."

He reportedly held talks with West Ham last season and was linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool before Arne Slot was hired.

Amorim is a former Portugal midfielder who spent the majority of his club career at Benfica.

His contract at Sporting expires in 2026.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was asked earlier Tuesday if he thought Amorim has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

"All I can talk about is the experience of playing twice against Ruben’s Sporting Lisbon team (in the Champions League's round of 16 in 2022), and the pressure was really, really good," Guardiola said.

"I spoke with (current City player) Matheus Nunes, and he was his player, and he speaks highly about him. And look this season, he is unbeaten and winning all the games in the Portuguese league and (in) the Champions League, (they have) the same points as us. So a high manager. I have the feeling that Man United, what I hear, that they are thinking about him, it’s because he’s a good manager."

Ten Hag's assistant at United, Ruud van Nistelrooy, will take interim control of the team for Wednesday's English League Cup match against Leicester at Old Trafford.