Wing Wizard to Captain Fantastic
When Ryan Giggs steps out onto the pitch at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao tomorrow night, he will be making his first ever appearance in an away friendly - fifteen long years after his debut for his country as the most talked about seventeen year-old in British football.
Despite this startling fact, this is at least the sign of the all new responsible Giggs, a world class player who has never quite reproduced his scintillating club form on the international stage.
However, the last few games has seen the wing wizard, now wearing the captain's armband, supplanted to a new striking berth. This newly created role has seen him put together some of his most consistent performances of his Wales career.
It's clear one of the legends of the game has turned over a new chapter in his illustrious career. His comments yesterday, made at a press briefing before the Welsh squad boarded their flight to Bilabo, that he was in it for the long run, and had no intention of walking away from his country, will be met with sighs of relief the nation over.
Hallelujah to that, as Giggs - a model professional - now wears the tag of elder statesman of the group. He also appears to be revelling in new role as captain, coach and confidante to a new group of young charges making their Welsh international breakthrough.
As for his away friendly debut tomorrow night, let's hope he comes through unscathed, as you wouldn't want to be a player caught in between a verbal tussle between Sir Alex Ferguson and John Toshack - the unmoveable object versus the unstoppable force, with XL sized egos to match.
Ouch. Somebody's bound to get hurt.