"Are you wearing your cap 'cos you got your hair cut," asked the nine-year-old. Ryan Giggs laughed, but the nine-year-old didn't. Maybe he'd had too many embarrassing haircuts in his time, ones that necessitated him donning head-wear until the offending cut grew out. Dodgy haircut or not, the real reason Giggs' baseball cap never left his head yesterday was because it bore his boot sponsor's name.

The Manchester United winger was on a promotional trip to Dublin, where he met up with 25 children (and their parents, relations, friends and neighbours, judging by the size of the crowd) who had won a Reebok/Champion Sports competition to meet the player.

After having a kick-about with the children on the grounds of Castleknock College Giggs returned indoors to take their questions. "Is Roy Keane leaving," asked one kid, cutting straight to the chase. The grownups with notebooks sharpened their pencils. "Well, everyone at United hopes he won't because he's such an important player for us but it's up to Roy, he has to decide what's best for him and his future." No joy there.

"Are YOU leaving?" "No! I have three years left on my contract and see no reason to leave before then. We could win the European Cup for the next two or three years, you never know, so maybe if that happened I might want a new challenge, but for now I'm very happy where I am."

"What happened your lip?" "I got a bang on it when I headed the ball during our game yesterday." Not one of the 25 children was rude enough to point out that you don't head the ball with your lip.

"If you couldn't play for United who would you play for?" A careful pause, long enough to remind himself not to mention an Italian or Spanish giant. "Cardiff City - they're my second team because they're my home town club and I always look out for their result." ("Chelsea wouldn't have you now," shouts a grown-up devotee of Vialli's Blue Army at the back of the hall. Giggs smiles, but resists hitting him).

Only time for two quick questions before he departs for Dublin airport. What are his thoughts on Brian Kidd's fate at Blackburn Rovers? "I was very sad to hear about Kiddo because I owe him so much and he's the reason I became a Manchester United player because he was Youth Development Officer at the time. He helped all the young lads at the club and, along with the manager, was the main reason why we've been so successful the past few years." How does he feel about the fall out between Kidd and Alex Ferguson? "That's between them, it doesn't concern the players - all I know is that I owe him so much and will never forget what he did for me."

And what about the World Club Championships in Brazil? "We're looking forward to it," he says, with no great conviction. Really? "Well," he grins. "It will be boiling hot, about 100 degrees, and it's a long journey to make in the middle of the season, but." No buts, Giggs is looking forward to the tournament with as much relish as you or me anticipate a wisdom teeth operation.