Darren Fletcher | 2013/14 Performances

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antohan said:
This is a guy who was written off several times early on in his career. He was even central to Keane's MUTV rant. I remember times when he got a right earful from him mid-game, the sort that would have you running home to your mummy and wuitting football altogether just to avoid that bad man again. Yet he carried on and out of nowhere was the one chap we lamented having suspended going into a CL final. Trust me, if the illness is behind him and it's just about fitness and mentality, he'll be back. Will probably have to agree to pay-as-you-play or something of the sort though as he needs time.
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90% of what I know about Fletcher's current situation I got from this thread / the caf in general. So I am not holding myself up as any kind of expert on his status. But didnt someone say last season that his condition is not one that can ever be "cured", but only better managed? Even if that were not the case it would be very hard to imagine someone coming back from what he has been through, determined personality or not.

But I accept your distinction in your earlier reply to me, he should aim as high as he can, I just dont think it is very realistic, personally.
 
Adebesi said:
90% of what I know about Fletcher's current situation I got from this thread / the caf in general. So I am not holding myself up as any kind of expert on his status. But didnt someone say last season that his condition is not one that can ever be "cured", but only better managed? Even if that were not the case it would be very hard to imagine someone coming back from what he has been through, determined personality or not.

But I accept your distinction in your earlier reply to me, he should aim as high as he can, I just dont think it is very realistic, personally.
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I understand that was pre-surgery. He was trying to manage it but failed at it, thus the surgery which, by all accounts, was successful in removing the problem but the downside being a longer lay-off and a longer road back to physical and match fitness. It should all be down to mentality and the work he is willing to put into it now, and I can see him winning that battle on both counts.
 
from Wikipedia

"Ulcerative colitis is an intermittent disease, with periods of exacerbated symptoms, and periods that are relatively symptom-free. Although the symptoms of ulcerative colitis can sometimes diminish on their own, the disease usually requires treatment to go into remission.

Colectomy (partial or total removal of the large bowel through surgery) is occasionally necessary if the disease is severe, doesn't respond to treatment, or if significant complications develop. Standard treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on extent of involvement and disease severity. The goal is to induce remission initially with medications, followed by the administration of maintenance medications to prevent a relapse of the disease."


My understanding is that it never gets cured, only goes into remission. So there's no knowing if it will happen again. Of course thankfully Fletch will have the best treatment and doctors money can buy.
 
gooDevil said:
from Wikipedia

"Ulcerative colitis is an intermittent disease, with periods of exacerbated symptoms, and periods that are relatively symptom-free. Although the symptoms of ulcerative colitis can sometimes diminish on their own, the disease usually requires treatment to go into remission.

Colectomy (partial or total removal of the large bowel through surgery) is occasionally necessary if the disease is severe, doesn't respond to treatment, or if significant complications develop. Standard treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on extent of involvement and disease severity. The goal is to induce remission initially with medications, followed by the administration of maintenance medications to prevent a relapse of the disease."

My understanding is that it never gets cured, only goes into remission. So there's no knowing if it will happen again. Of course thankfully Fletch will have the best treatment and doctors money can buy.
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The colectomy removes the core problem. Some extraintestinal ramifications remain and you could talk about remission associated with those but not with the section of intestine where it flared up because it has been surgically removed.
 
The fact that they actually removed part of the intestine indicate a severe case, which makes me concerned about it being more likely to return because of that. Again, it seems that wiki is saying that this condition can go into remission but is never cured, and there's no telling if and when it might return.

Of course I hope he comes back to his best, I'm just putting this out there so people don't get unrealistic expectations. Don't mean to be a wet blanket. I'd be happy to learn I'm wrong.
 
gooDevil said:
The fact that they actually removed part of the intestine indicate a severe case, which makes me concerned about it being more likely to return because of that. Again, it seems that wiki is saying that this condition can go into remission but is never cured, and there's no telling if and when it might return.

Of course I hope he comes back to his best, I'm just putting this out there so people don't get unrealistic expectations. Don't mean to be a wet blanket. I'd be happy to learn I'm wrong.
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That was the non-surgery scenario, which is what he tried first. There was treatment, changing his diet, an initial remission but it just kept coming back which is why they went for the surgery which is pretty much a last resort given the risks associated with it.

The upside though is that if it goes well the nastier elements are off the table. The disease and its root cause is removed (if it was concentrated and limited to the removed area, much like with cancer, that's where there's indeed room for surprises) but there are obvious after effects in affected areas, let alone from having removed an amount of intestine.
 
I remembered someone here on the forums mentioning sometime back that the surgery was risky, and only done if the condition was severe. But once you've taken the major decision to get the surgery done, the problem area has literally been removed, and life is supposed to more or less go back to normal? (ie. can gain weight, train etc).

In any case, it'd be a great comeback story if Fletcher makes it back to the first team, so I really hope to see that happen. And I agree that if anyone has the fortitude to do it, it'd be him.
 
Mockney said:
Professional football is a cutthroat industry for players. For all the talk of player power Roy Keane wasn't far wrong when he talked about how clubs treat them. Their only deemed as valuable as the benefit their services can provide, and for footballers that rarely strays too far into their 30s. However Fletcher's fitness progresses, we aren't going to give him a pension. He'll be out on his ear in his mid-thirties anyway. A time when every other man in the world should be hitting their prime.

It's the kind of scrapheap challenge that sent Gazza off his axis. Anyone assuming Manchester United or any other club will continue to employ a player, official or any other mother for significantly longer than their use is beneficial performance wise or economically, is being naive.

They may be some vestige of loyalty keeping him here, but it'd be more heavily tilted towards what a re-couperated match fit Fletcher could provide on the field, and not an overly romantic sense of duty and patronage.
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Mockney......I see this so much on this site but never expected it from you. They're son, not their, they're.
 
I would like to believe that he will one day play for first team football. Everyday he is able to make progress, the closer the reality of him playing regular football. He is an absolute professional and the club have supported him throughout. i dont think we as a club will be naive to let him go now.
 
I imagine he'll continue to make progress over the next 2 weeks, and Moyes will then have to make a decision whether to give him game time on the reserves, as a first team sub or whatever.
I'd love him to make a full comeback, but only time will tell.
 
gotta love the Ole fella. really nice piece about Fletcher......

Solskjaer lauds 'special' Fletcher

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised Darren Fletcher's mental resolve and backed the Scot to complete a remarkable return to top-level action.

Manchester United midfielder Fletcher has not featured for the Red Devils for almost a year as he continues to battle a serious ulcerative colitis condition.

But he completed a 90-minute run out for the club's reserve side against Stoke earlier this month and could be ready to resume his playing career. Solskjaer was a team-mate of Fletcher in his final years as a Manchester United player and was part of the Norway side which provided the opposition when the 29-year-old made his bow for Scotland.

The retired frontman - now managing Molde in his homeland - recently met Fletcher in Manchester and was left feeling optimistic about the 29-year-old's future. He said: "It's fantastic news that Darren is on his way back. I was over in Manchester about a month ago and I was lucky enough to bump into Fletch and he said he was on the road to recovery. "I just met him purely by chance outside the supermarket and it was great to see him. I could see just from talking to him that his tail was really up because he's had a rough time of it obviously.

"It's funny to think I played in his Scotland debut in Oslo. I remember that game well, we actually swapped shirts afterwards and I've still got it at home - I was thinking of digging it out and putting it on for the game on Tuesday night. "I actually played in Fletch's reserve team debut for Manchester United, I was in the reserves quite a lot. "I'm not sure he was even 16 at that time but I remember it was a game at Everton and you could just see then that you were watching a fantastic talent.
"He'd had loads of injury problems but I knew the manager had really, really good faith in him and I could see even in that very first reserve game just why Alex Ferguson had such high hopes for this kid.

"I've followed his career from that day on because I knew he was a special player but also because he is a good guy. "I admired his mentality, he was never in awe of the place and he just felt at ease and felt at home at Old Trafford. "He had confidence in himself but he was humble. He had a tremendous work rate as well and the thing that stood out for me was the way he almost floated on the pitch, gliding through games. "It came naturally to him and made the hard part of the game look easy. I knew Fletch was going to be a legend for Scotland and hopefully now he'll get back fit and improve even further to become a better player.

"To be honest I do know how hard it must be for him because I had a spell out for two and a half to three years myself after a bad knee injury. "There's nothing worse than that feeling of not really knowing whether you're going to be able to make a comeback but luckily now it looks like it's going to happen and I couldn't be happier for him. "He's a humble guy from a humble family - he possesses all the attributes to be a Manchester United player. I've heard the accusation that he was an average player in a great team but I don't agree with that at all."We used to play Darren against the likes of Arsenal - in the big games, semi-finals - and he just ran more than them.

"You could see Patrick Vieira never liked playing against Fletch and that to me is the sign of a great player. "For me, the proudest moment in my career was when I made my comeback from injury, scored for Manchester United and my son celebrated by clenching his fists."Fletch has got his own twins so I'm sure he'll want to play to show them he's a good player. When I met him recently he seemed very positive so I'm sure it's going to happen."
 
Ole is just such a great bloke isn't he?
 
Ole is just a class act. I seriously hope Fletch can return, no matter what the level. I'm glad the club stuck by him.
 
Fine words there, from OGS - great bloke. And a United man: I saw this other snippet the other day where he caught himself saying "we", referring to United - he had a laugh about that, admitting he still saw himself as part of the club. Future United manager? I'd like that very much.
 
Really hope Fletch makes it back, he has the determination to make it and hopefully that will go a long way in helping him achieve his goal. This whole story is almost a mini analogy of what Manchester United is as a club. No matter what is thrown at us, no matter the problems we will continue to be Manchester United and strive to be the best.
 
Would it be too much of a stretch to fast track him into the first team in Carrick's absence? I've been thinking about it and I don't it would be the worst idea in the world. He hasn't been 'injured' so there should be no risk of a recurrence. His problems may be confidence, fitness and sharpness. Anyone think adrenalin could possibly get him through? He's seemingly looked quite tidy in the reserves.
 
That's what I would imagine. However, it's an idealistic and nice thought to think adrenalin might just be able to carry him through some minutes during a tough period. I don't think it should happen; only exploring the possibilities.
 
i think some might think people over rate fletcher on here but ive always felt alot of regret about his illness and its really hitting home now that he hasnt featured in so long. realistically, he would have continued to be an excellent asset for us. from 07/08 onwards he just kept improving and was such an incredibly useful player to have. we grew to have him as one the first names on the team sheet in big games. so whether many over rated him or not he was missing for the "peak years" of his career and we'll never know how good he could have become.

when you look at how carrick developed even later in his career to the point of winning people over i think fletcher could easily have hit those heights. fletcher and carrick would have been a great middle two, behind a more creative type i hope he can even return to a level of contributing 15-20 games a season
 
Kag said:
That's what I would imagine. However, it's an idealistic and nice thought to think adrenalin might just be able to carry him through some minutes during a tough period. I don't think it should happen; only exploring the possibilities.
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The thing is, it probably could, you are right bud. The thing with that is that if Fletch pushes too hard when his body is not right it might do more harm than good, I do not mean his condition either, I mean his muscles etc will not be ready. The last thing he would need is to be out injured just as he is getting himself in shape.

P.S. I would truly love to see him walk out again in a first team strip, honestly think there will be a lump in my throat if it ever happens.
 
I'm hoping he's nearing a level where he can make the bench for the first team - get a run-out from the bench in an "easy" match (haven't had many of them so far, be it said). Sometime over Christmas, perhaps? I'm very confident he'll get his chance - whether he'll actually warrant a place in the squad once given that chance is another matter altogether. But it's not as unrealistic as some seem to think - if Fletcher can regain the kind of fitness he needs to play first team football, well, then I say he's a plausible squad player for this United team, even when we bring in somebody (which we will - but that may not happen until the end of the season). Ando is a goner unless he magically starts to impress the hell out of Moyes. Cleverley and Fellaini have work to do. Carrick is getting on a bit and could find himself starting less and less. Well - and so on, we all know what's in this equation at the moment.
 
Scots Crusader said:
The thing is, it probably could, you are right bud. The thing with that is that if Fletch pushes too hard when his body is not right it might do more harm than good, I do not mean his condition either, I mean his muscles etc will not be ready. The last thing he would need is to be out injured just as he is getting himself in shape.

P.S. I would truly love to see him walk out again in a first team strip, honestly think there will be a lump in my throat if it ever happens.
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Yeah, in common sense and medical terms I think you're right. He'll have to be careful with his hamstrings and thighs etc. With that said, Fletcher is exactly the kind of guy that wouldn't surprise me if he was rolled out against Spurs next week and had a stormer. It's a nice thought.
 
It's funny how our hopes and expectations are changing with Fletcher. Months ago, it was just we hope he gets healthy and maybe gets back to playing football. Then it changed to hopefully he can play some part for United at some stage. Now it's throw him in there, we need a centre midfielder.
 
Seems to get better and better every time I see him play for the under 21s. Lasted 90mins again on Monday and was the best player on the pitch by some distance. Sat in front of the back four mostly, wasn't marauding around the pitch but screened the back four well, broke up play and got forward at times to support attacks. I'm not pinning any hopes on Fletch, but I'm very optimistic. It'll be a massive boost imo to get him back playing for the first team.
 
From anyone who has seen him play in the 21's. Do you think there is any chance he could make the bench against Stoke in the cup? Even if it's more just a gesture from Moyes if anything.
 
Well Moyes said he's guided by the clubs doctors on it, so it might be out of his hands, but from what I've seen, I really hope so.
 
Eric'sCollar said:
From anyone who has seen him play in the 21's. Do you think there is any chance he could make the bench against Stoke in the cup? Even if it's more just a gesture from Moyes if anything.
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He looks fit enough. He worked very hard. However it's not looking likely. I doubt he would have played 90 minutes if so.
 
Yeah, he's coming along. His passing has been really good and he's lasted 90 minutes twice now. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the bench against Stoke.
 
LR7 said:
Seems to get better and better every time I see him play for the under 21s. Lasted 90mins again on Monday and was the best player on the pitch by some distance. Sat in front of the back four mostly, wasn't marauding around the pitch but screened the back four well, broke up play and got forward at times to support attacks. I'm not pinning any hopes on Fletch, but I'm very optimistic. It'll be a massive boost imo to get him back playing for the first team.
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Agree with this - he was a class above. I'm getting more optimistic about Fletcher. He looks ready for an appearance in the first team.
 
Throw him in on the weekend. Don't even give a shit anymore, anything would be better than Giggs or Cleverly at the moment. Give him a taste, get that hunger going and see if he can light a fire under these pricks. The fight he's shown to get better, there's seldom few in this squad that deserve to wear the shirt more than him.
 
He's not ready.. The Shakhtar game would had been perfect for him but now that we need a result I also think is best to wait until FA Cup..
 
If he can get back to 25% of his form in 2010 and play once a week...welcome back Darren Fletcher!

One thing is for sure if he'd been placed where Giggs was in our box with the opportunity to clear or play a hospital pass, he'd have launched that ball as far as possible.
 
mariachi-19 said:
Throw him in on the weekend. Don't even give a shit anymore, anything would be better than Giggs or Cleverly at the moment. Give him a taste, get that hunger going and see if he can light a fire under these pricks. The fight he's shown to get better, there's seldom few in this squad that deserve to wear the shirt more than him.
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Partner him with Jones. :drool:
 
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