Darren Fletcher Says He Asked Sir Alex Ferguson Before Taking Interim Manchester United Role
Fletcher steps in after Amorim’s exit
Darren Fletcher says he sought the blessing of Sir Alex Ferguson before agreeing to take interim charge at Manchester United. Fletcher, 41, will lead the team for Wednesday’s Premier League trip to Burnley following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, and he is also likely to remain in the dugout for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Brighton.
Fletcher said he spoke to Ferguson, 84, who was present at Elland Road for Amorim’s final match in charge, a 1-1 draw at Leeds. After that game, Amorim delivered a press conference that proved pivotal in bringing his time at Old Trafford to an end.
‘I don’t like to make major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex’
Explaining why he contacted his former manager, Fletcher described Ferguson as someone whose counsel still matters to him. “I don’t like to make any major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex,” he said.
Fletcher added that the conversation was rooted in respect as well as reassurance. “I’ve got a really good relationship with Sir Alex, so I wanted to speak to him first and ultimately to get his blessing, to be perfectly honest with you. I think he deserves that respect,” he said.
Fletcher said Ferguson supported the idea that, as a club employee, the priority is to do what is best for Manchester United. “I wanted to run it by him and he echoed my thoughts. When you’re an employee of the club, it’s your job to do your best for Manchester United. It is something I try and live and believe every day, so it was comforting for me for him to say that,” Fletcher said.
Handling criticism and ‘outside noise’
One of Amorim’s most pointed observations during his post-match comments at Leeds was his belief that senior figures at Old Trafford pay too much attention to punditry, including views from former captain Gary Neville. Fletcher, who shared a dressing room with many of that era and still considers them friends, took a measured stance on the issue.
He said former players are entitled to their opinions and that their analysis comes from a place of passion. “You can’t ask them to go easier [on us] because they’re passionate guys, they have a right to their opinion and they’re really good,” Fletcher said.
He also highlighted how the achievements of those voices can make criticism harder to dismiss. “The outside noise is difficult to deal with because those players have won everything,” he said. “They’ve got success behind them and they’ve got trophies. It’s hard to criticise them back because they’ve got their medals on the table.”
For Fletcher, that scrutiny is part of the job. “But that’s what being a Manchester United player is. Get your head around it, learn how you’re going to deal with it, and embrace the challenge,” he said.
Limited time and quick conversations with senior figures
Fletcher said the pace of events since stepping into the role has left him with little spare time, including limited opportunity to speak to players individually. Rather than attempting to meet everyone immediately, he focused on key leaders.
He said he restricted conversations to captain Bruno Fernandes and the new senior players. Fletcher has met with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko this week, having spoken to goalkeeper Senne Lammens last week. Another major summer signing, Bryan Mbeumo, has not yet spoken with Fletcher because he is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.
No contact yet with Amorim
Fletcher also confirmed there has been no conversation with Amorim since the change, despite the two having worked closely together. Amorim had given Fletcher’s son Jack his debut last month and placed his other twin, Tyler, on the bench for United’s past three games.
“I’ve reached out to him but not managed to make contact yet, which is understandable. He’s obviously got a lot on in his mind and I’ve been really busy,” Fletcher said.
While he expressed a desire to speak with Amorim due to their relationship, Fletcher stressed the need to move forward quickly. “I’d love to because I had a good relationship with Ruben and he was great with me,” he said. “But it’s important you move on very quickly. Football is a cruel game, so it’s important we tried to create a little bit of energy and a little bit of spirit. Hopefully there’s more of it again tomorrow.”
A long Manchester United history
Fletcher’s interim role comes against the backdrop of a long association with the club. He arrived from Celtic as an 11-year-old in 1995 and went on to make more than 300 appearances for Manchester United. After breaking into the first team in 2003, he became one of Ferguson’s trusted midfielders.
- Five Premier League titles
- Three Community Shields
- FA Cup and League Cup
- Champions League and Club World Cup
In total, Fletcher represented the club 342 times before leaving to join West Brom in 2015. He also earned 80 caps for Scotland.
Health challenges that disrupted his career
Fletcher’s playing career at United was significantly affected by ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease. He made only 12 first-team appearances during the 2011-12 season after being diagnosed in December 2011.
Speaking about his illness in 2014, Fletcher said he had initially been “very blase” about the diagnosis. He described running to the toilet up to 30 times a day and “losing a lot of blood”. He later had surgery in January 2013, which he said allowed him to return to a “normal life”. At the height of his illness, he was barely able to leave his own home.
From retirement to multiple roles at Old Trafford
After leaving United in 2015, Fletcher continued in the Premier League with West Brom and Stoke City before retiring in 2020. He then returned to Manchester United in a series of roles, starting as coach of the under-16s in October 2020, followed by spells as a first-team coach and then technical director.
Last summer, he returned to the dugout on a permanent basis as manager of United’s under-18s, a role that kept him close to the club’s development pathway.
The Fletcher name returns through Jack and Tyler
In recent years, Fletcher’s connection to the club has also been reinforced through his 18-year-old twin sons, Jack and Tyler, who have started to make their way in the professional game. Jack is an England youth international and made his Premier League debut in December’s 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa. Tyler represents Scotland at international level and has been part of United’s first-team squad for the past three Premier League games.
Both spent nine years at Manchester City’s academy before moving to Old Trafford in 2023. If either features at Turf Moor on Wednesday, they would join an exclusive group of sons to be managed by their fathers in the English top flight.