Darren Fletcher | 2013/14 Performances

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Sir A1ex said:
Not really - it's been well over two years since the illness kicked in. He's made a couple of come-backs but never for long enough to get back into match form.
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I guess so. I'm still confident he can play a part in this season, I'm hoping he gets back to form again. It's pretty obvious we'll never see him at his best, but like I said he's only 29, give him a year of football and I'm sure he'll find his feet.
 
marjen said:
Well he's currently looking distinctly average with the U21's so I wouldn't hold my breath on him adding anything noteworthy to the side.
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What did you expect after so long out?!
 
I thought he looked alright. Some good passing, and seemed to want the ball plenty.
 
He did fine, his passing did definitely stand out and he tried pressing up high at times. It has to be said though that he's ( naturally ) lacking the rhythm, you could see his touch suffer from it and a ball that he miss controlled led to a goal for 1-0 ( although our defence could've probably done better but yea, it pretty much started from him there ).
 
Would be great to have Fletcher back and available again.

I just hope he has a fair bit of self belief about himself and the right mentality to challenge our existing midfielders for a first team spot.

Mind you, with our current state of affairs, that's not exactly the hardest job in world football.

Anyway, I have hope that he will get a good amount of games for United before he calls it a day.
 
Fletcher deserves the chance to try and work himself back into a place in the first team.

By all means though we should not let compassion cloud our judgement. If he cannot get back to the standard that is required he should retire and take a coaching role, or move down the leagues.

I really do hope fletch can regain his previous best form though, but I feel this illness would have stunted him too much.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Fletcher deserves the chance to try and work himself back into a place in the first team.

By all means though we should not let compassion cloud our judgement. If he cannot get back to the standard that is required he should retire and take a coaching role, or move down the leagues.

I really do hope fletch can regain his previous best form though, but I feel this illness would have stunted him too much.
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Sadly I feel the same has you, I dont want him to leave United and would love him to be a coach, but if he gets fully fit and wants first team football and cant get it at United, I hope we would not stand in his way.
 
Kostur said:
He did fine, his passing did definitely stand out and he tried pressing up high at times. It has to be said though that he's ( naturally ) lacking the rhythm, you could see his touch suffer from it and a ball that he miss controlled led to a goal for 1-0 ( although our defence could've probably done better but yea, it pretty much started from him there ).
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What was his mobility like?
 
Good to see him back, hopefully his re-comeback will stay on track!
 
mickeza said:
What was his mobility like?
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You wouldn't tell the difference from other midfielders on the pitch I'd say, definitely not a zombie movement but he's no Bolt.

I'm afraid of trying to compare him to one of our current midfielders just yet, so it's hard if it's more of a Fellaini or more Cleverley.
 
I'm pleased with his performance. He looked significantly better on his comeback for the u21s this time around than he did last season, which - considering he's got every right to be even rustier now - is hopefully down to his improved health. He covered a decent amount of ground and was still pressing high when he got pulled. His use of the ball was naturally a bit inconsistent but some of his passing was surprisingly sharp. Gave the ball away for Fulham's first, though. All in all, he's got a long way to go but I've got much more faith in this comeback than the last one, which looked a bit doomed from the get-go.
 
Apparently Warren Joyce said after the match he will feature tomorrow night? Anyone hear the interview?
 
Hopefully, I hope his career doesn't end because of this disease

He was so good in 2008/09. I was shattered for him when he was carded for the tackle on Fabregas. I don't know if United ever really had a chance against Barca that year, but not having Fletcher in there really hurt. United probably still would have been schooled by Xavi and Iniesta's brilliance, but Fletcher will always have that "What if?" aura hanging around his career for me...

Can't be too optomistic about where he'll be as he is already nearing 30, but Fletcher has proved a lot of people, including myself, wrong over the years. Fergie gave up on Richardson but he always saw enough in Fletcher to keep him around.
 
pauldyson1uk said:
Sadly I feel the same has you, I dont want him to leave United and would love him to be a coach, but if he gets fully fit and wants first team football and cant get it at United, I hope we would not stand in his way.
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Its not so much an injury that he had but an illness. Considering some of the other sportsmen who have come back from this illness and won world titles there is no reason Fletch cant. Its not like a knee injury which can cause a loss of pace or agility, Fletch's case is an illness with a recovery.
 
I love the optimism. He can do it. Would be great to have him back 100%.
 
Stack said:
Its not so much an injury that he had but an illness. Considering some of the other sportsmen who have come back from this illness and won world titles there is no reason Fletch cant. Its not like a knee injury which can cause a loss of pace or agility, Fletch's case is an illness with a recovery.
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One of my most heartwarming memories as a United fan was watching Ole score that goal against Charlton, IIRC, his first in three or so seasons. Hopefully Fletcher can have a few of those moments too

Still remember the commentary for that goal against Charlton - "And it IS, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer"...always struck by how underwhelming that commentary was for the moment, yet it still has stuck with after 7 years
 
Wittmann45 said:
One of my most heartwarming memories as a United fan was watching Ole score that goal against Charlton, IIRC, his first in three or so seasons. Hopefully Fletcher can have a few of those moments too

Still remember the commentary for that goal against Charlton - "And it IS, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer"...always struck by how underwhelming that commentary was for the moment, yet it still has stuck with after 7 years
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That would be amazing. I remember that well and Fletcher really deserves something like that, he won't reach the heights he did but to see him back and contribute to the squad would be fantastic.
 
Basically Fletcher needs to get that ability ti harry and hassle back. If he cant, he doesn't gave a future at united because the other aspects of his game were always decent.
 
Eric'sCollar said:
That would be amazing. I remember that well and Fletcher really deserves something like that, he won't reach the heights he did but to see him back and contribute to the squad would be fantastic.
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Based on what some of the other posters have mentioned, what Fletcher suffered was an illness which he can fully recover from (now that he's undergone the op). That being the case, I am still harbouring some hopes that he'll get back to to his previous levels. He's got the support, and I think the right attitude to get him there.
 
fatboy said:
Based on what some of the other posters have mentioned, what Fletcher suffered was an illness which he can fully recover from (now that he's undergone the op). That being the case, I am still harbouring some hopes that he'll get back to to his previous levels. He's got the support, and I think the right attitude to get him there.
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Of course he can make a full recovery and get back to his best, so maybe I shouldn't have said he won't, more that I think he won't. However, that doesn't mean I don't have great hope for him to return and play a massive role for United.

He was a real favourite of mine and they type of player that Manchester United love, I think he should be given every opportunity to get back and it seems like the club is doing so.
 
Get him off the wage bill, it's time to move on and stop looking back. Yes he was great at times for us but he's never going to be who he used to be.
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
Get him off the wage bill, it's time to move on and stop looking back. Yes he was great at times for us but he's never going to be who he used to be.
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It will be more appropriate to let him see out his contract and see how he does in the meantime, even if it is inevitable that he'll no longer be good enough - he deserves support from the club. I'm sure he's not burning any holes in pockets
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
Get him off the wage bill, it's time to move on and stop looking back. Yes he was great at times for us but he's never going to be who he used to be.
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I understand the need to look forward and forget the player he was and instead focus on what he can offer.

But simply saying get him off the wage bill is a bit harsh and he deserves better than that. From what I have heard, he has accepted a significant drop in his wage during his spell out.

And when you look at it, he is 29. Why not keep him around and see if he can add to the squad in seasons to come. Pin our hopes on him? No. But I think he is worth keeping rather than kicking him to the gutter and taking a 25 million pound gamble on a midfielder who doesn't work out. We are thin in terms of numbers in the middle, so the more options the better in my opinion.
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
Get him off the wage bill, it's time to move on and stop looking back. Yes he was great at times for us but he's never going to be who he used to be.
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No need to get rid of him. Sure don't register him in the squad, but he deserves better than being punted to the curve. I say let him see out his contract.
 
Ronaldo's Mum Eh? said:
Get him off the wage bill, it's time to move on and stop looking back. Yes he was great at times for us but he's never going to be who he used to be.
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Not sure if serious. How do you know he's never going to be who he used to be? Besides, he is not a 200k a week wage player to be so desperate to get him off wage bill. Though it was U21, his yesterday's outing was encouraging from perspective that he was moving about comfortably and made some good passes as well. He is not at first team level yet but if he can keep playing for u21 for a month or so, doesn't aggravate his illness and gets back in rhythm, there is no reason not to use him. Especially when all our CMs bar Carrick are playing like cat on hot tin roof.
 
Wittmann45 said:
Hopefully, I hope his career doesn't end because of this disease

He was so good in 2008/09. I was shattered for him when he was carded for the tackle on Fabregas. I don't know if United ever really had a chance against Barca that year, but not having Fletcher in there really hurt. United probably still would have been schooled by Xavi and Iniesta's brilliance, but Fletcher will always have that "What if?" aura hanging around his career for me...

Can't be too optomistic about where he'll be as he is already nearing 30, but Fletcher has proved a lot of people, including myself, wrong over the years. Fergie gave up on Richardson but he always saw enough in Fletcher to keep him around.
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Totally agree with this. Would have been nice to have gone into that final with Fletcher even if we would still probably have lost.
 
Walrus said:
Totally agree with this. Would have been nice to have gone into that final with Fletcher even if we would still probably have lost.
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Yeh, always made the point of 'what if' Fletcher played that game. Like you, I have never said we would have won but it would have been interesting to see the difference because he was in amazing form and that pressing ability and bite in midfield would have changed the game and I don't think it would have been as easy for Barca.
 
I'd love to see him play again but I don't think he will or should.His illness is being managed but he will never be rid of it, is this true?? I'd love him to continue working with the youngsters because he deserves to be given a role but I don't think encouraging him to think about the first team will help him and he needs to accept this.

As for the CL final and would the outcome have been any different had Darren played? I am pretty sure we'd have given them more of a game.When he was sent off against Arsenal, we knew instantly what a loss it would be and it proved to be just that.He was on top of his game back then and it's all ifs and buts now...
 
From what I've heard from others on the forum who know a fair bit about his condition, recovery is supposed to be complete once he's gone through the operation. It's not being managed anymore, he should pretty much be rid of it.

But still he's been out a long while, and am sure it's not easy for a top level athlete to get back to where his peak physical condition. I really hope he makes it, not least because he brings something different from what we have right now in midfield.
 
fatboy said:
From what I've heard from others on the forum who know a fair bit about his condition, recovery is supposed to be complete once he's gone through the operation. It's not being managed anymore, he should pretty much be rid of it.

But still he's been out a long while, and am sure it's not easy for a top level athlete to get back to where his peak physical condition. I really hope he makes it, not least because he brings something different from what we have right now in midfield.
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Why didnt he have the operation straight away? Their must be a downside? Is it a risky operation?
 
thegregster said:
Why didnt he have the operation straight away? Their must be a downside? Is it a risky operation?
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Isn't the op basically cutting out a lot of your intestines? Not something someone really wants to go through unless they have to.
 
From the NHS website:

If ulcerative colitis does not respond to intensive medical treatment, then surgery may be required.
You may also wish to consider surgery if your maintenance therapy is not working and the condition is affecting your quality of life.
Surgery involves permanently removing the colon – a colectomy. As part of the operation, your small intenstine will be re-routed from the colon so it can pass waste products out of your body.
This used to be achieved by carrying out an ileostomy, where an incision is made in your stomach and the small intestine is pulled slightly out of the hole and connected to a pouch (which collects waste materials).
However, in recent years, another technique known as the ileo-anal pouch has been increasingly used. This is an internal pouch constructed by the surgeon out of the small intestines and then connected to the muscles surrounding your anus. The pouch can be emptied in much the same way when you pass stools.
The advantage of this technique is that you are not required to carry an external pouch.
 
All this talk about the return and that's great but still have not seen any reaction to his actual performance, how did he go?
 
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