Darren Fletcher will take charge of Manchester United against Burnley following the sacking of head coach Ruben Amorim. The former United star, who returned to Old Trafford as a coach in 2020 after battling illness throughout his glittering career, has been appointed caretaker manager.
Amorim’s departure comes after just 14 months in charge, paving the way for Fletcher to take over on an interim basis, with his first test against Burnley on Wednesday night. It is expected that an interim manager will be appointed soon for the remainder of the season, a key milestone for Fletcher.
The former midfielder suffered from chronic intestinal disease during his playing days and retired in 2019 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. He now finds himself leading the team he once played for.
Fletcher’s journey with United began when he joined the youth team at the age of 11. Despite coming close to signing for Newcastle at the age of 15, he chose to remain at Carrington and quickly caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, earning him a place in the first team.
His ability to perform in high-stakes matches was well-received, and during his time at Old Trafford he won five Premier League titles, the Champions League trophy and one FA Cup.
But his career changed forever in 2011 when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease. The disease caused him to lose around three stone in weight and required surgical intervention.
However, Fletcher revealed that he had been battling the disease since 2008, but still chose to keep his diagnosis private. In a 2014 lecture, he explained: “I kept quiet about the symptoms of ulcerative colitis until around 2011 or 2012, because it’s not something that’s commonly talked about.
“My close family and friends knew, but no one at the club knew. I found it difficult to make up stories about why I wasn’t attending training, why I looked unwell, why I felt unwell, why I was rushing to the toilet.
“I was basically lying to my face. Once I started talking about it and letting the world know, I felt so relieved. That was the best thing I did.”
Following surgery in January 2013, he made a remarkable comeback, returning in a 3-0 win against Aston Villa in December 2013. In 2014, he was appointed vice-captain under manager Louis van Gaal.
The former Scotland captain left United in 2015 and moved to West Brom. His employment there continued until 2017, after which he moved to Stoke City.
Two years later, he began earning his coaching badges after leaving the Potters.
When the pandemic hit, Fletcher realized he likely wouldn’t be able to return to play because his condition increased his risk of contracting the coronavirus, ending his on-field career. Following this difficult decision, he returned to United to coach the Under-16 team.
Just last year, he was appointed coach of the Under-18 team and will take charge of the first team on an interim basis following Amorim’s departure.
