Manchester United veteran Darren Fletcher has taken interim charge of the first team for their clash with Burnley, completing a remarkable journey from his secret battle with chronic illness to the manager’s dugout.
Darren Fletcher has been named interim manager of Manchester United following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
Fletcher, who returned to the club as a coach in 2020, will lead the senior side for their mid-week Premier League fixture against Burnley.
The move marks a poignant chapter for the former midfielder, who enjoyed a trophy-laden playing career at Old Trafford despite battling a chronic health condition.
Fletcher’s path to the dugout was shaped by his long struggle with ulcerative colitis, an illness he kept secret for years.
Reflecting on the difficulty of hiding his symptoms from teammates and staff, Fletcher previously admitted: “I found it difficult, making up stories for reasons why I wasn’t at training, why I was looking ill… Basically lying to people’s faces.”
He eventually underwent life-changing surgery in 2013 before finishing his playing career at West Brom and Stoke.
The Scotsman’s transition into coaching was finalized during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his underlying health condition made a return to professional playing too high a risk.
After rising through the ranks of United’s youth setup, he now takes the reins of the first team during a period of significant instability.
While the club searches for a permanent replacement for Amorim, Fletcher provides a familiar presence, fulfilling what Sir Alex Ferguson once predicted would be a successful coaching career.