Giggs interviewed to be new Wales manager

Giggs remains the favourite to succeed Coleman and return to football 18 months after leaving his coaching role at Manchester United.

But Craig Bellamy and Coleman's former assistant Osian Roberts are also in contention for the position, with the Football Association of Wales keen on appointing a Welshman.

The FAW hopes to announce its new manager in the next week, before the UEFA Nations League draw takes place in Switzerland on January 24.

Giggs has been in pole position to claim his first permanent role in management since Coleman stepped down in November to take over at Sunderland.

The 44-year-old has many long-time admirers at the FAW and been linked with the role in the past.

But Giggs would not be a popular appointment with some Wales fans, who questioned his commitment during his 16-year international playing career.

Cardiff-born Giggs won 64 caps between 1991 and 2007 and captained his country.

But he was widely criticised for regularly pulling out of Wales squads and did not make his first appearance in an international friendly until March 2000.

He has also angered a section of Wales supporters by regularly appearing as a television pundit on England games since leaving United in the summer of 2016.

At the end of an illustrious playing career at Old Trafford, Giggs was in caretaker charge of United for four games at the end of the 2013-14 season following the sacking of David Moyes.

He spent the next two seasons as Louis van Gaal's number two before Jose Mourinho was appointed United manager and he subsequently left the club.

Giggs lost out on the Swansea job to Bob Bradley after being interviewed for the manager's role at the Liberty Stadium in October 2016.

It is understood that Bellamy and Roberts, who is the FAW's technical director, also have their supporters at the Welsh FA.

Cardiff-born Bellamy won 78 caps - the country's fourth most-capped player - and few could match his passion in a Wales shirt.

He is currently cutting his coaching teeth at the Cardiff Academy and, as he shown in his role as a television pundit, is an erudite speaker on the game.

Roberts, from Anglesey, knows the Welsh system inside-out as he has worked throughout all age grades.

He has been widely credited for helping to produce the talented crop of youngsters who will be at the disposal of the new senior manager.

Roberts was at Coleman's side as Wales reached the semi-final of Euro 2016 in France - the country's best performance at a major tournament.

Newport-born Tony Pulis was also among the initial contenders to succeed Coleman, but he ruled himself out of the running when he became Middlesbrough manager last month.