The Call That Shaped United's Interim Era: Fletcher's Ferguson Blessing

Background

Darren Fletcher reveals he made sure to seek Sir Alex Ferguson's permission before accepting the role as Manchester United's manager.

Fletcher has been named caretaker manager following the dismissal of coach Ruben Amorim last Monday.

According to ESPN, the former midfielder made his United debut in 2003 under Ferguson and went on to win five Premier League titles with the legendary Scot.

Dialogue with Ferguson

He said: "I don’t like making big decisions without talking to Sir Alex. I have a very good relationship with him, so he was the first person I called, and to be perfectly honest, I wanted his blessing."

He added: "I think he deserves that respect; I wanted to run it by him and hear his view, and he was very supportive of the move."

Looking Ahead

Fletcher is set to lead his first match against Burnley on Wednesday, having risen from coaching United's Under-18s, a side known for playing with a back line of four.

While he stopped short of confirming whether there will be a change in style for the Turf Moor game, Fletcher hinted he is ready to move away from Amorim's three-at-the-back approach at the earliest opportunity.

He said: "We don’t know yet, I can’t reveal that. When you talk about an Under-18s side, that reflects a system the club believes is best for developing players."

He wrapped up by noting: "Of course you try to win every game, but fundamentally we're trying to develop players, and this approach fits that perfectly. It's the club's style, and it's the one I've grown up playing in for a long time."

Punchline 1: Blessing granted, the rest is paperwork.

Punchline 2: If all goes well, United might finally learn to pace themselves.