Darren Fletcher

Cina said:
Yeah but saying he'd improve our chances is sort of like saying he'd have provided us with Vaseline before Barcelona bent us over and bummed us.
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For all we know, he might have been the big difference. He could have made Iniesta and Xavi's day a lot harder, maybe forcing Barca into extra-time. Barca were better than us back then, sure, but they were not unbeatable under all circumstances. No team is unbeatable.
 
Fantastic news. We have to treat it as a bonus though. Can't change the transfer plans because of this.
Fetch being available is a bonus. And a great one
 
Cina said:
Maybe, but quite a few have said that he can become a good player for us and improve our midfield and give us more options there are what not, but that's so unrealistic. I don't mean to be brutal here, but the last time he came back he looked an absolute shadow of what he used to be, and now he's been absent for another year. There's being sentimental for a player and then there's being realistic about the fact that we're one of the biggest clubs in the world and quite frankly, sentimentality shouldn't come into the equation with a player. I just can't see any scenario where he'll make a come back and be good enough to play for our team.
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I agree that sheer sentimentality has no place here. But people seem to forget that he has gone through a successful operation this time - unlike the last time he came back, and indeed looked a shadow of his former self. His condition has now been dealt with: That's a huge difference. He can focus on getting match fit without having to worry about the condition flaring up again.
 
Chesterlestreet said:
No doubt at all. And our odds in that match were significantly better to begin with, compared to the sequel two years ago (only a miracle could have given us a result there).
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I could've sworn it was the 2011 final he was injured for, but it seems he was on the bench. So it's four years since he was in that form, Christ, time flies!
 
Chesterlestreet said:
I agree that sheer sentimentality has no place here. But people seem to forget that he has gone through a successful operation this time - unlike the last time he came back, and indeed looked a shadow of his former self. His condition has now been dealt with: That's a huge difference. He can focus on getting match fit without having to worry about the condition flaring up again.
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He's 29 years old and hasn't played regular football in nigh on three years. Operation or no, it'd be a bloody miracle.
 
Elliott said:
He would have improved our chances, absolutely no question about that.
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I agree, though it would have been very unlikely that in the end he would have make that a big difference.

Also, I have heard people saying that he as at the time the best defensive/box to box midfielder in the world and non-sense like that. If a player's quality has been exaggerated in Caf, then definitely he is Fletch.
 
Cina said:
Yeah but saying he'd improve our chances is sort of like saying he'd have provided us with Vaseline before Barcelona bent us over and bummed us.
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This analogy only works if lubing up your own asshole somehow decreases the chances of someone shoving something up there.
 
Cina said:
He's 29 years old and hasn't played regular football in nigh on three years. Operation or no, it'd be a bloody miracle.
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Well, let's say it would be a miracle - what do we stand to lose here, really? Moyes won't pin his hopes for next season on Fletcher. If he has identified certain CM targets in the market this news (news to us more than to Moyes, I would suspect) won't affect him. If Fletcher turns out to be a real CM option after a good pre-season, that will be a bonus - nothing more, nothing less.

To me it seems as though many think: "Oh no, not his again - he will be treated like a 'new signing' and we won't buy a midfielder." I don't think they need to worry: Moyes isn't Fergie (who was idiosyncratic, to say the least, when it came to midfield matters). If he feels our CM needs strengthening he will get someone in - regardless of Fletcher (whose current level is an unknown).

Unless one feels that Fletch occupies a last, crucial place in the 25 man squad I really don't see what the problem is here.
 
I don't disagree on that, myself and others are probably overly paranoid about the whole thing because Fergie was so damn stubborn about our midfield and seemed to think anything already in our squad was a viable option there, no matter what. If Moyes does sign some strong players there and if/when Fletcher returns he's purely a "luxury" (well, not really a luxury, cause he'll probably be a bit crap) then it probably won't hurt, but anything more than that or allowing sentimentality into the equation should be a massive no-no.
 
I agree with those who say that we cant rely on Fletcher at this point in time.

HOWEVER, you underestimate the Fletch guy at your own peril. At one time he was our 6 choice midfielder behind world class articles Scholes and Giggs + new signings Carrick, Hargreaves and Ando. Guess what, he fought his way back to first teamer. I would love to see Fletcher doing it again.
 
Cina said:
Maybe, but quite a few have said that he can become a good player for us and improve our midfield and give us more options there are what not, but that's so unrealistic. I don't mean to be brutal here, but the last time he came back he looked an absolute shadow of what he used to be, and now he's been absent for another year. There's being sentimental for a player and then there's being realistic about the fact that we're one of the biggest clubs in the world and quite frankly, sentimentality shouldn't come into the equation with a player. I just can't see any scenario where he'll make a come back and be good enough to play for our team.
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Thats because the condition he had was severely effecting his physical condition. Now thats gone (because of the successful surgery), assuming he puts in the gym time and gains weight through diet, physique will not be a factor.
 
Cina said:
He's 29 years old and hasn't played regular football in nigh on three years. Operation or no, it'd be a bloody miracle.
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you have stated your opinion repetitive times..

My money is on him getting back his game as well as physique and he will be a factor and make an impression next season.

lets see what happens.
 
Didn't Sir Alex mention that he'll play a holding role rather than the usual run'n gun style whenever he gets back? Don't think Moyes will go into a season banking on Fletcher and without signing a midfielder. He will be more of a fourth choice option along with Giggs and Jones, atleast for next season. Being out for a good part of 2.5 years it would be foolish to expect him to perform miracles immediately. It would be mostly COC games and useless Champions league encounters at the start. We can assess him from there.

Good luck to him. I would be ecstatic if he can develop into the holding role and can be a useful back-up to Carrick.
 
Cina said:
Yeah but, he hasn't played football properly in three years.
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He's played 57 games in the past 3 years and has been training for a considerable portion of that time.

Its not a huge amount but it's enough to mean his ball skills will not be too rusty.

It's really just a case of fitness IMO. If he can get up to full strength then I can see him playing with us for another 3-4 seasons. Big IF of course.

You really are very stubborn Cina. I'm extremely stubborn too so don't take it as an insult, but it is amusing. The difference between us it that you manage to remain very friendly whilst I'm an angry cnut!
 
I am surprised he's played 57 games, I mean, shit, that's probably as much as Anderson.

We'll see, there's probably no point in speculating, obviously there are some who are a lot more optimistic than me when it comes to this stuff, I just can't really see it happening, maybe he'll be a bit part player, but he could just leave of his own accord either in order to become a first team regular at a different club.
 
I'm with Cina on this. I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell that Fletch will get anywhere near his best.

And let's be clear, even at his best, he should IMO be a good option for a club like United - not the first choice midfielder.

I'd love to be proven wrong about this though.
 
I'm going the positive route and hope he can make it back.

By all accounts Fletcher is a really good guy and obsessed with football.
 
jgraham said:
I saw Fletcher at the game on Sunday, if i'm honest my thoughts on seeing him were he looked unwell still and if I had to guess based on how he looked then i'd not expect to see him pulling on the shirt again.
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Well, with due respect - unless you're a medical man I don't think that impression counts for much. The reports state that his operation was a success. That means he's well. The condition isn't a worry anymore.
 
jgraham said:
I saw Fletcher at the game on Sunday, if i'm honest my thoughts on seeing him were he looked unwell still and if I had to guess based on how he looked then i'd not expect to see him pulling on the shirt again.
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recuperating from a successful surgery.

He'll be back to looking jut fine after a summer of good food and exercise.
 
Chesterlestreet said:
Well, with due respect - unless you're a medical man I don't think that impression counts for much. The reports state that his operation was a success. That means he's well. The condition isn't a worry anymore.
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True, but i've yet to see a man looking so gaunt playing in the premiership.

Clearly I can't give a full medical analysis of the situation but based on seeing him in the flesh on Sunday i'd say he looked some way of being fit/well enough to play.

Don't forget - that's an assumption of mine, as are most posts in this thread i'd imagine.
 
Don't know how guaranteed this is, but I just noticed this on goal.com:

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is set for an early return to pre-season training as he continues his recovery from bowel surgery, Goal can reveal.

The Scot cut his season short for the second consecutive year in December due to the chronic bowel condition that has seen him make only 12 Premier League appearances since the end of the 2010-11 campaign.

But Fletcher is determined to prove his fitness to new boss David Moyes ahead of the United first team returning to pre-season training on July 3 before flying to Bangkok to begin their tour of Asia.

Goal understands that Fletcher will return to the club's Carrington training base a fortnight before his team-mates to undergo conditioning work with the club's highly rated fitness coach, Tony Strudwick.

And, despite Old Trafford legend Paddy Crerand claiming that it would be a "miracle" for Fletcher to fight his way back into first-team contention under Moyes next term, the 29-year-old vowed in May to play for the club again to show his gratitude to former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I couldn't have asked for anyone better to be helping me through my illness and I will always be enormously grateful for all the help and care he's shown," he told the Daily Express days after his mentor retired after 26 years as United manager. "I'm desperate to pay him back.

"Hopefully, as things progress and I get back playing again for United, that will allow me to show my gratitude for everything he has done and the support he has given."

The midfielder was given extended leave by the club in December 2011 in order to recover from his illness and confirmed that he would undergo surgery 12 months later to speed up his recuperation.
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Isn't that basically the same article that was posted on 4th June (pg 13).
 
Id have thought that with having bowel trouble, heading to Asia would be the worst idea ever.
 
Darren Fletcher undergoes final make-or-break operation as career remains on a knife-edge​
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The midfielder - who has been fighting ulcerative colitis - says if the procedure is a success he will be cleared to play football again​
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Darren Fletcher has undergone a final make or break operation that will determine whether he plays for Manchester United again, writes the Sunday People's Steve Bates .​
The 29-year-old former Scotland captain has been battling the debilitating bowel condition ulcerative colitis and had the last of three operations a few days ago.​
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Fletcher now faces a period of rehabilitation and an anxious wait to discover whether he can resume his playing career at Old Trafford.​
Before his operation Fletcher told me: “It’s been a big battle but if I come through the last operation OK at the end of June then that will be the breakthrough I’ve been waiting for and I should be OK to resume playing again.​
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“It’s been a hard time the last couple of years dealing with something like this. As a professional footballer all you want to do is play, but that’s not been possible for me.​
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“But if the operation is a success I’ve been told there should be nothing to stop me being cleared to play again.”​
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New United boss David Moyes is known to admire Fletcher’s work rate, skill and tenacity and made an abortive bid to sign his fellow Scot while in charge at Everton. It is believed Moyes has already spoken to Fletcher to wish him a successful recovery.​
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The bolded part is the only important bit of new information.

Like I suspected, Fletcher had the 3 stage process I went through. The last operation is a minor and very easy to bounce out from. From here on, the condition has been removed, he has to deal with a few minor changes in lifestyle, but theoretically the illness has gone.

Now needs to baulk up, get match fit and see if he can remember how to play football. A sensible target would be to target him to play in our first League cup match or at home against a minor European team in the Champions League sometime end of September. And we take it from there.

Im not saying he'll make it, its uncharted territory, but he has every chance.
 
pauldyson1uk said:
Good Luck to him , I hope the op goes well and we see him playing in a United shirt again.
Its going to take him a long time to get fit again, even if the op goes well but he will do it.
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from the article above, it states that the final operation has gone well. He need about a month to get used to the new way his body functions. He can train during that period too.

But the key change is that the weight loss one endures during this condition has gone. He can now put weight back on, get his muscle/fat ratio's in place and enjoy the benefits of cardio and weights work in the gym. He will be able to to get match fit again, Im sure of that.
 
sammsky1 said:
from the article above, it states that the final operation has gone well. He need about a month to get used to the new way his body functions. He can train during that period too.

But the key change is that the weight loss one endures during this condition has gone. He can now put weight back on, get his muscle/fat ratio's in place and enjoy the benefits of cardio and weights work in the gym. He will be able to to get match fit again, Im sure of that.
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Thats excellent news.
 
feck.

If we do sign Thiago (and no one else in CM), then Fletcher would have been the last piece of the puzzle needed for our CM to compete with the likes of Bayern and Barca.
 
Great to hear that the operation has gone alright. Fantastic news.

Obviously I would love to see him back out on the field (as we all would), but I just hope that he puts his body first. His attitude is absolutely incredible, and you can't help but admire him for it, but as I say, hopefully he does what's right for Darren Fletcher.

Best of luck to him.
 
devilish said:
feck.

If we do sign Thiago (and no one else in CM), then Fletcher would have been the last piece of the puzzle needed for our CM to compete with the likes of Bayern and Barca.
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Yeah, Carrick, Thiago, Cleverley, Fletcher, Anderson, assuming all are fully fit and in form, offers a great range of options for Moyes.
 
Fergie said the Fletcher returning wouldn't be the same Fletcher as before in that his style would change to be similar to Carrick. I hope he recovers and can get back playing but can only see him being someone we play to give Carrick a rest.

Surprised that he still has 2 years on his contract, so he's still time.
 
The article is based on quotes from BEFORE his operation, there is nothing to say he's had the success he hopes for from the surgery yet. But hopefully we haven't jumped the gun and it has gone well.
 
He's only 29 so he has some time. He's the type who can go on until they're 35 I'd say. Obviously this has put a great deal of stress on him so that will of course put some doubt in it. Still as long as we introduce slowly back into the first team set up, then it should be good. We've missed his engine.
 
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