Wales admit Giggs deal

Ryan Giggs clashes with club-mate Juan Veron

Wales assistant manager Mark Bowen has admitted the national team management agreed with Manchester United that Ryan Giggs would only play part of the friendly against Argentina.

The Manchester United star was substituted on the hour at the Millennium Stadium during his side's 1-1 draw with the World Cup favourites, and the visitors scored their equaliser minutes later.

The Welshman's Old Trafford colleague, Juan Sebastian Veron, played the whole 90 minutes of the Cardiff clash, but Bowen said that it had been agreed to substitute Giggs.

"I think that (Wales boss) Mark Hughes had a word with Sir Alex Ferguson and, with the Champions League coming up, decided to take him off after an hour," he told BBC Sport Online.

"It suited us both in some ways because Craig Bellamy likes to play down the left, and feels he's better cutting inside.

Skilful side

"Bringing John Robinson on helped us switch Craig and enabled us to try a few different things."

But the Welsh decision is bound to fuel critics of Giggs' commitments in friendlies - this was only his second appearance for his country in a non-competitive match - especially as team-mates such as David Beckham and Roy Keane played full matches on Wednesday.

Despite the controversy surrounding Giggs, Bowen thought that Wales had done well against a skilful Argentine side.

"We have come out with it with our heads held high, and I am sure that the crowd enjoyed the game which was end-to-end stuff.

"I am pleased for all the lads, because they have worked their socks off and done everything we have asked of them.

"We are starting to show some self-belief, and we know we can give any side a good game at the Millennium Stadium."