Darren Fletcher has disclosed that he was in communication with Sir Alex Ferguson over the phone before he agreed to be the caretaker boss of Manchester United after the club parted ways with Ruben Amorim on Monday.
The ex-United midfielder has taken the temporary charge after being the coach of the club’s Under-18s, hence he is the most recent caretaker after the retirement of Ferguson in 2013. Amorim’s tenure, which was supposed to last 14 months, was cut short after a troubled time culminating in public criticism of the club’s hierarchy.
In a press conference before United’s travel to play Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday, Fletcher admitted that it was natural and also very important to ask for Ferguson’s blessings before taking up the responsibility.
“Before anything else, I wanted to talk to Sir Alex and get his approval,” Fletcher said. “We have always had a good bond, and I highly regard his opinion. He was supportive and told me that the main point of your job is always to do what is best for Manchester United.”
According to Fletcher, Ferguson’s advice prompted him to continue doing what he was already doing at the club, and he found their talk “very reassuring”.
At 40 years of age, the man has not yet had a conversation with Amorim since the latter’s dismissal, and his focus now is on helping the team to be stable. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick, who previously managed United, are said to be two of the possibilities for the interim role to the end of the season.
Fletcher also responded to the criticism from the players who are club legends and argued that being criticized is part of managing “the biggest club in the world” and that coaches must be prepared for it.
