Darren Fletcher at a Champions League media conference with Sir Alex Ferguson in November 2012
Darren Fletcher has revealed that he consulted with his former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, before accepting the interim managerial role at Old Trafford.
Fletcher is set to lead the team for Wednesday’s Premier League fixture against Burnley, following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. He is also expected to remain in charge for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round match against Brighton.
The decision to appoint him came after discussions with Ferguson, 84, who was present at Elland Road for Amorim’s final game – a 1-1 draw against Leeds. It was after this match that Amorim delivered the surprising press conference that precipitated his departure.
“I don’t like to make any major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex,” the 41-year-old stated.
“I have a very good relationship with Sir Alex, so I wanted to speak to him first and, to be perfectly honest, get his blessing. I believe he deserves that respect.”
“I wanted to run it by him, and he echoed my sentiments. When you’re employed by the club, it’s your duty to do your best for Manchester United. It’s something I try to embody every day, so it was comforting to hear him say that.”
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During his critical assessment at Leeds, Amorim voiced his opinion that senior figures at Old Trafford place excessive importance on the views of pundits, notably former captain Gary Neville.
Fletcher, who shared a dressing room with many of these pundits and remains on friendly terms with them, acknowledges the situation.
Having faced criticism himself during his early years at United two decades ago, he believes that the current squad must accept it as part of the game.
“You can’t ask them to be lenient [on us] because they are passionate and entitled to their opinions, which are often very insightful,” he commented.
“They’re engaging and informative. I enjoy listening to them. I spent years listening to them in the dressing room and absorbing their insights.”
“The external noise is difficult to ignore because these players have achieved so much.”
“They have a track record of success and trophies. It’s difficult to counter their arguments because they have the medals to prove it.”
“But that’s the reality of being a Manchester United player. You have to come to terms with it, learn how to handle it, and embrace the challenge.”
Fletcher explained that his limited free time since taking on the role has prevented him from engaging in individual conversations with his squad.
Instead, he has focused his discussions on captain Bruno Fernandes and the new senior players. Fletcher has met with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko this week, and spoke with goalkeeper Senne Lammens last week. Bryan Mbeumo, another major summer signing for United, has been unable to speak with Fletcher as he is currently representing Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.
There has also been no communication with Amorim, who gave Fletcher’s son Jack his debut last month and included his other twin Tyler on the bench for United’s previous three games.
“I’ve reached out to him, but haven’t been able to connect yet, which is understandable. He’s clearly dealing with a lot, and I’ve been quite busy,” Fletcher said.
“I’d like to, as I had a good relationship with Ruben, and he was great with me.”
“But it’s crucial to move forward quickly. Football can be unforgiving, so it’s essential that we try to inject some energy and spirit. Hopefully, we can build on that again tomorrow.”
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Darren Fletcher spent 13 years as a senior Manchester United player
Fletcher made over 300 appearances for Manchester United, having joined from Celtic as an 11-year-old in 1995.
After making his first-team debut in 2003, he became one of Ferguson’s most trusted midfielders.
Fletcher contributed to United’s five Premier League titles, three Community Shields, the FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, and Club World Cup.
In total, the midfielder, who earned 80 caps for Scotland, wore the United jersey 342 times before joining West Brom in 2015.
He would have likely made many more appearances for United had his career not been affected by ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease.
The former midfielder only made 12 first-team appearances during the 2011-12 season after being diagnosed with the condition in December 2011.
Speaking about his illness in 2014, Fletcher said he had initially been “very blase” about his diagnosis, which led to him needing the toilet up to 30 times a day and “losing a lot of blood”.
He underwent surgery in January 2013 – which he credits with allowing him to return to a “normal life” – but at the peak of his illness, he was barely able to leave his house.
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After departing United in 2015, Fletcher continued his Premier League career with West Brom and Stoke City before retiring in 2020.
Since then, he has held various positions at United.
He initially rejoined the club as the coach of the under-16s in October 2020, before taking on roles as a first-team coach and later a technical director.
Last summer, he returned to the dugout, taking permanent charge of United’s under-18s.
In recent years, the Fletcher name has once again become synonymous with United as his 18-year-old twin sons, Jack and Tyler, have begun their professional careers.
Jack, 18, is an England youth international and made his Premier League debut in December’s 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa.
Tyler, meanwhile, represents Scotland at the international level and has been a part of the first-team squad for United’s last three Premier League matches.
Both players spent nine years at Manchester City’s academy before moving to Old Trafford in 2023.
If the Fletcher twins feature at Turf Moor on Wednesday, they would join a select group of sons to have been managed by their fathers in the English top flight.
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