Bitter spat between Man United technical director Darren Fletcher and angry fan at Old Trafford - with Scott McTominay also involved

[DeGea’sFeet]

What did the fan say? Clearly Fletcher is sensitive about his role at United. Look at the abuse manager’s, players and referees take without (99.9%) responding. It’s not a coincidence that the two people to react to trivial comments are

1) Rashford whose been utter crap and is probably insecure about his role at United

2) Fletcher who must know that people have no idea what he’s doing and he’s just there to basically keep some connection to an era where we won trophies.

 

[Skizzo]

"Keep Scott McTominay's name out of your mouth!"

I will. Dude, it was a sporting director joke.

 

[dpansheth]

Are fans customers then? Interesting. Glazers were right all along.

They are fans, that's why they pay & that's why they are the customers

 

[Wumminator]

Not a good look for Fletcher, if he was any fecking use he would be shouting at the lazy, dogshit players not the paying fans.

I’m worried this is how fans think they should treat players.

 

[MoskvaRed]

Did zidane work as a technical director before? Did the guy at Munich? No
There are plenty of examples
Fletcher coached the u16 and was praised for his work there, he is still working on some of his badges.
the coaching he is doing allows him to do his badges whilst also helps out the temp manager who only has2 coaches.

I imagine that at R Madrid and B Munich, these were long-established positions forming part of a clear chain of roles and responsibilities. As such, it wasn’t such a big deal to take a punt on an ex-player.At United, we are looking at a complete modernisation of a footballing structure that had not changed much since the 1980s. It would give me more confidence if we hired someone who had experience at a best in class operation (like Van der Sar). I can’t escape the impression United are winging it and doing it on the cheap.

 

[GreatDane]

and father Christmas isn't real.

Why would you do this to me?

 

[golden_blunder]

All those other clubs have systems in place where it works. Our club, on the other hand, is a complete shambles. We can't afford for our technical director to be learning on the job too.

I responded about lack of experience. The same experience that others had. End off.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

I don’t think unprofessionalism in this team would benefit anyone. Keane was fiery on the pitch but also Man Utd captain and held the club in high regard, different to showing fans contempt.

Erm, prawn sandwiches anyone?

 

[golden_blunder]

I imagine that at R Madrid and B Munich, these were long-established positions forming part of a clear chain of roles and responsibilities. As such, it wasn’t such a big deal to take a punt on an ex-player.At United, we are looking at a complete modernisation of a footballing structure that had not changed much since the 1980s. It would give me more confidence if we hired someone who had experience at a best in class operation (like Van der Sar). I can’t escape the impression United are winging it and doing it on the cheap.

Why would VDS downgrade?

 

[Mickeza]

Maybe the fan wanted Pochetino?

 

[Deery]

Erm, prawn sandwiches anyone?

That was supporters in the boxes, who weren’t showing any emotion at all and only there for corporate reasons.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

On one side I love Fletcher as a player, the other side of me is just bewildered with the idea that he is in such a prominent position at the club with basically no experience for the role, working under a director of football who has never done that role and who has been at the club the entirety of the post Fergie debacle. Under a ceo who has never done the job before who learnt from Woodward and who has also been at the club for the post Fergie debacle.

And these are the people in charge of turning things around!! We are doomed!

 

[Tom Cato]

Simple - he was asked to assist with coaching duties since carrick and McKenna left.

i really can’t get my head around why the fans abuse have now turned their heads to Fletcher.

Disclaimer: Post not aimed at any poster on this forum.

Some of our fans are incredibly dumb and Im at my wits end.

 

[Gandalf]

I’m worried this is how fans think they should treat players.

Not sure what you are worried about. The performance against Leicester was shameful and yet Fletch sits there looking gormless until a fan says what everyone is thinking and that is what he chooses to get upset about. Of course he is entitled to have a pop back if he thought the comments were aimed at him but it is just worrying to me that the only thing that actually motivates this shower is getting into it with the crowd. I would rather see that passion and fight on the pitch.

 

[Pretzels81]

Give Fletcher the job.

Give Carrick the job.

 

[MoskvaRed]

Why would VDS downgrade?

I was talking more generally about the Murtaugh and Fletcher roles (do we fully understand who does what?) but the same point stands - if it’s a new position, better to have someone who has done it elsewhere and can import new ideas (as opposed to another Fergie era player).

As for Edwin, I agree that he is more DoF material and I imagine that he could be tempted by a big pay increase and the chance to restore a former giant where he is fondly remembered as a player.

 

[SuperiorXI]

Should’ve went full YouTube and titled the thread ‘Brutal fight between Fletcher and fan, blood everywhere, decapitation!!!’

Brought to you by Manscaped and Surfshark?

 

[golden_blunder]

I was talking more generally about the Murtaugh and Fletcher roles (do we fully understand who does what?) but the same point stands - if it’s a new position, better to have someone who has done it elsewhere and can import new ideas (as opposed to another Fergie era player).

As for Edwin, I agree that he is more DoF material and I imagine that he could be tempted by a big pay increase and the chance to restore a former giant where he is fondly remembered as a player.

He’s a CEO!

 

[Adnan]

I was talking more generally about the Murtaugh and Fletcher roles (do we fully understand who does what?) but the same point stands - if it’s a new position, better to have someone who has done it elsewhere and can import new ideas (as opposed to another Fergie era player).

As for Edwin, I agree that he is more DoF material and I imagine that he could be tempted by a big pay increase and the chance to restore a former giant where he is fondly remembered as a player.

Murtough has been a 'football director' for almost 20 years. And like Dan Ashworth who started off at Peterborough in a academy director role in 2000, Murtough was the academy director at Fulham in around the same period. And their role was to direct the football operations at academy level, which means they have experience of being football directors. Ashworth was later employed by the FA as a elite performance director and Murtough was picked up by the Premier League in a director of elite performance role. It's natural progression for people in their (Murtough/Ashworth) line of work to eventually become Sporting Directors.

And from i've learned about Van der Sar, he has no experience on the structural side of a football club. Marc Overmars was already at the club when VdS was appointment CEO and currently it's Gerry Hamstra who is heading the football department at Ajax.

 

[Trequarista10]

Who knows what Fletcher really said, or more importantly, what he was responding to. People just jump to their conclusions based on what they already think of the people involved, and in this case, people have a notion about Fletcher based on RR's comments about not knowing Fletcher's non-coaching duties. It's been established but people keeping ignoring the facts. Fletcher is assisting the coaching team, in addition to his role as Technical Director, because McKenna and Carrick both left, and only one coach was brought in to replace them. Now, what the feck being a technical director involves I don't know, but its clear that for now he's acting as both a coach and technical director.

 

[Plant0x84]

Not a good look for Fletcher, if he was any fecking use he would be shouting at the lazy, dogshit players not the paying fans.

Oh go away, Fletcher is not a coach he’s there to assist Rangnick and he has no less right to expect to do his job without abuse than anybody else.

The OP should work for a tabloid with sensationalist headlines like that. Much ado about nothing.

 

[MoskvaRed]

He’s a CEO!

Yes, he‘s a smart guy but it’s the Dutch league. I’m sure we could quadruple his salary, and the ceiling at United is very high indeed if you get it right, as opposed to a gallant run to the semis every 20 years before your team gets instantly dismantled.

 

[MoskvaRed]

Murtough has been a 'football director' for almost 20 years. And like Dan Ashworth who started off at Peterborough in a academy director role in 2000, Murtough was the academy director at Fulham in around the same period. And their role was to direct the football operations at academy level, which means they have experience of being football directors. Ashworth was later employed by the FA as a elite performance director and Murtough was picked up by the Premier League in a director of elite performance role. It's natural progression for people in their (Murtough/Ashworth) line of work to eventually become Sporting Directors.

And from i've learned about Van der Sar, he has no experience on the structural side of a football club. Marc Overmars was already at the club when VdS was appointment CEO and currently it's Gerry Hamstra who is heading the football department at Ajax.

I stand corrected as to Murtough’s background (although Fulham is not exactly the gold standard, and nor is England sadly). But he has been at United for years now. Surely after a period of such rancid failure as the last 9 years, you would look outside rather than promote from within?

 

[Adnan]

I stand corrected as to Murtough’s background (although Fulham is not exactly the gold standard, and nor is England sadly). But he has been at United for years now. Surely after a period of such rancid failure as the last 9 years, you would look outside rather than promote from within?

You have to make a distinction between what Murtough has been doing in that period, and what has been happening at first team level. And what we know now, is that Murtough has been the academy/reserves football director, whilst the first team manager has been setting the directive at First team level. You can't blame the academy/reserves football director for the issues at first team level.

I've written a few lengthy posts in the last week or so, if you want to see a more detailed post from my pov on our issues post Fergie.

 

[Gandalf]

Oh go away, Fletcher is not a coach he’s there to assist Rangnick and he has no less right to expect to do his job without abuse than anybody else.

The OP should work for a tabloid with sensationalist headlines like that. Much ado about nothing.

Go away yourself. I already said I have no issue with him having a pop back if it was abuse personally aimed at him which it is unclear if it was but it does not excuse the fact that the only thing he has done on the bench is argue with the fans, the players were strolling around like it was a testimonial and he was laughing it up with the subs. Direct your passion onto the pitch Darren and stop worrying about a bit of name calling you sensitive wee soul.

 

[Roboc7]

I stand corrected as to Murtough’s background (although Fulham is not exactly the gold standard, and nor is England sadly). But he has been at United for years now. Surely after a period of such rancid failure as the last 9 years, you would look outside rather than promote from within?

If the club wanted genuine change and the best people they could have got for the roles they’d have looked outside the club. Murtough has been introducing himself as DOF for years, Arnold has been Woodward’s number two for years and despite being part of failure they’ve got promoted. Fletcher has no experience so what the club has got is people who will carry on operating in the same manner, they know how club operates and will all be massively overpaid.

The reality is they all have their jobs now and hopefully they will either be successful or held accountable but not holding my breath. No one at the club should be getting annoyed at fans, everyone has got off pretty lightly so should just take it on the chin.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

Brought to you by Manscaped and Surfshark?

Probably.

 

[Adnan]

The academy/reserves football director calling himself the football director is now portrayed as a bad thing.

 

[phelans shorts]

I stand corrected as to Murtough’s background (although Fulham is not exactly the gold standard, and nor is England sadly). But he has been at United for years now. Surely after a period of such rancid failure as the last 9 years, you would look outside rather than promote from within?

Well, Murtough’s role prior to this year was largely around the formation and growth of our womens side, which has been a massive success, alongside bringing in youth players such as Hannibal. I’d argue that he’s did pretty well and fully deserved the promotion.

 

[Chripper]

In fairness to Darren Fletcher, he took absolute dogs abuse by (the majority?) Of United fans, online and in the flesh, for close to 10 years. It only took him getting into the EPL Team of the season for it to subside.

"He's Alex Ferguson's son. That's the only reason he's playing" was a particularly stupid insult.

Imaging taking abuse from the stands, and online, from the age of about 17, from fans who are supposed to have your back, for close to a decade.

Good for him for having a dig back. The "the fan paid good money, he has a right to voice his opinion" doesn't wash. Darren Fletcher gave everything for Manchester United. Certainly more that the current squad have.

 

[golden_blunder]

Yes, he‘s a smart guy but it’s the Dutch league. I’m sure we could quadruple his salary, and the ceiling at United is very high indeed if you get it right, as opposed to a gallant run to the semis every 20 years before your team gets instantly dismantled.

That’s quite arrogant and I don’t think VDS is like that at all. He’s not a money chaser. If he came here it would be a role that Arnold just took. I wanted him to replace woody and VDS hinted at it but obviously we went for Arnold

who we should give a chance too now he’s in the job

 

[MoskvaRed]

That’s quite arrogant and I don’t think VDS is like that at all. He’s not a money chaser. If he came here it would be a role that Arnold just took. I wanted him to replace woody and VDS hinted at it but obviously we went for Arnold

who we should give a chance too now he’s in the job

It’s not really arrogant or just about money - ir’s why he left Ajax for Juventus many years ago. The horizons are just much bigger (as great as club as Ajax have been). You can potentially build up a rival to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich if you get United right.

Anyway - Woodward has been catastrophic. Forgive me if I have no faith in his lackey Arnold.

 

[golden_blunder]

It’s not really arrogant or just about money - ir’s why he left Ajax for Juventus many years ago. The horizons are just much bigger (as great as club as Ajax have been). You can potentially build up a rival to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich if you get United right.

Anyway - Woodward has been catastrophic. Forgive me if I have no faith in his lackey Arnold.

I agree about Woodward but at least Arnold has learnt to give way to football people

 

[hobbers]

he has no less right to expect to do his job without abuse than anybody else

Good job he wasnt on the end of any abuse at all then eh.

 

[Shane88]

Does any other club have the technical/football/whatever the feck he is director on the bench?

 

[Andersonson]

I loved Fletcher as a player, but get him the feck out of this club. He's technical director of one of the biggest clubs in the world and he's never done the job. He doesn't even know what the job is, but it certainly isn't taking daily training and sitting on the bench on game day. Why is he getting into it with a fan? Why can't he accept fans aren't happy? Do we really think this guy that is arguing with fans should be one of the biggest influences in the biggest decision the club has made since SAF retired?

He should call you, so you could tell him what a technical director should do. Feck, all the staff should. We would won a title or two with your knowledge in the club

 

[CloneMC16]

That video shows absolutely nothing.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Just a stupid joke based on your tagline, mate.

Ah, I get it.. I'm not anti-Scottish, by the way.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Feels like it was long time ago when someone from the coaching seat was screaming and being actually animated.

 

[R'hllor]

So Fletcher, unprovoked, turns to a random fan in the crowd and starts a shouting match because United are shit? I hate to break it to you, but the guy in the article is probably talking shit and father Christmas isn't real.

Wait what