Darren Fletcher led the Manchester United U18s for the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup, as his side faced Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Manchester United returned to FA Youth Cup action on Wednesday evening as they managed a 3-2 win against Sunderland to progress through to the semi-final of the competition.
Darren Fletcher has been in charge of the Under-18s since the start of the season, except for a two-game stint where he took over from Rúben Amorim for the senior team.
Fletcher failed to win a game for United’s first team, but picked up one point against Burnley away from home before being replaced by Michael Carrick.
For the U18s, Fletcher has had United on a 10-game unbeaten run since the turn of the new year, including wins in the FA Youth Cup, which has now been extended to 11 games thanks to goals from Noah Ajayi, Chido Obi and Junior Brown.
Ajayi’s goal, which was the first of the game, was the pick of the bunch. The left-winger struck with power from close to 30 yards out to hand United the lead.
But as for Obi and Brown’s goals, they were well defended and well put together, respectively. The team all came together to combine and return United’s advantage.
Why Fletcher will be a successful manager
When Darren Fletcher was in charge of the senior side, he impressed many with his new style of play, but that was likely to happen after Rúben Amorim’s dismal stint in charge of the senior side.
However, United fans didn’t get a fair reflection of Fletcher in the first team. Fletcher’s side typically plays a very detailed tactical style, as seen on Wednesday evening in the FA Youth Cup. United’s U18s played out from the back at every opportunity, with multiple different routines that had clearly been worked on in training.
It wasn’t just at the back, though. Fletcher also had intricate plays in the middle and final thirds as JJ Gabriel often drifted from his position to combine with Ajayi or Brown on the flanks, as well as Obi through the middle. Rotation in the middle of the park also gave Jim Thwaites the chance to impress in the attacking areas.
Out of possession, Fletcher’s side employed a high press in a rigid 4-4-2 structure. When a player strayed from their position, Fletcher was quick to correct them from the sidelines with a shout that could likely be heard in Sunderland, who were tonight’s opponents.
It’s not just tactics, though. Fletcher’s man-management skills were also impressive. He was always instructing players on where to go and what to do, as well as telling players not to worry when something they tried didn’t quite work out.
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Could Fletcher be a United manager?
The ultimate question when any former United player impresses as a head coach is “Can they be a Manchester United managar one day?” For Fletcher, the answer is yet to be decided.
He’s still so young in his managerial career, having only made the move to youth football at the start of the season. Before, he was United’s Technical Director, as well as a coach for Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Erik ten Hag.
If his performances with the U18s are anything to go by, Fletcher will make it as a Premier League manager one day. He seems to have everything you need in a modern-day manager.
When he was in charge of the first team. It was reported that his ambition was to be the Manchester United manager one day. Who knows…maybe he will be.
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