Manchester United Midfielder Darren Fletcher sat down Monday to talk about American soccer, Manchester United and the upcoming North American tour that will include a stop in Kansas City July 25 to take on the Kansas City Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium. Fletcher, 26, broke into the United first team in 2001 and is now the captain of the Scotland National Team. For tickets to the Manchester United-Kansas City Wizards match, click here.
Perception of American Soccer
“I think it’s a good perception, really. The buzz created by David Beckham brought a lot more attention to [American soccer], but seeing the amount of fans that watched the U.S. games in the World Cup this year shows that football is getting a massive following and it’s getting bigger all the time. I’ve seen some of the crowds that some of the teams get in MLS, and they’re getting some big crowds. The U.S. team did well in the World Cup, so I think it’s definitely a nation that’s progressed, and I’m sure they’ll keep progressing the way they are.
On playing against Landon Donovan during Donovan's loan to Everton
“I think everyone was really impressed with Donovan. Obviously, he went to Germany for a while, and it didn’t quite happen for him, but he came over to England and then performed really well. I think that he was one of their best players when he was over here. I’m sure they would have been delighted to keep him for longer. Obviously, he had to go back, but there’s been a lot of talk of him maybe staying there permanently. There’s been a couple of English teams interested since then, but he was a real threat in the game - a lot of pace and intelligent runs. He scored some fantastic goals and yeah, he was a real handful when we played against him in the Manchester United game. Lots of energy and a real quick, exciting player...Obviously [the MLS has] a little bit of a slower tempo. I think weather conditions play into that. I think that the English Premier League is known as one of the fastest leagues in the world, but that didn’t seem to bother him. After a couple of games he got used to the pace. He is, if not the best player in the MLS, one of the best. I think that from knowing that and seeing his performance, he’s a well respected and highly-regarded in the U.S., so I think that being such a good player, the transition to the English game was very easy. Good players can adapt quicker, and I think you’ve seen that. With a couple of the games, he adapted to the Everton style of play and the English style of play.
Impressions of the U.S. in the World Cup
“I thought the manager had them very well organized. They’ve done very well together in the groups. They scored a goal that should have been given a goal earlier, but they eventually scored later on in the match to put them through, but I think they thoroughly deserved that. To get out of the group stages should be seen as an achievement. Obviously, they would have liked to go further, but it didn’t quite be. They played with a lot of hunger and a lot of aggression, and they played some good football as well. Although they would have liked to have gone a little bit farther, I think they can be pleased with getting out of the group, and I think they showed the rest of the world that they’re there to compete. I think everyone knows it’s not an easy game when they play against the U.S., but I think they’re proving all the time they’re getting better and better.”
Reaction to U.S. game against England
“I think everyone expected that to be the most difficult game in the group anyway, so I don’t think there were too many surprised [with] that 1-1. To start off the tournament not losing isn’t a bad thing. Obviously English fans wanted to win, but the fact that they haven’t lost the first game I think both teams were relatively pleased with that. Especially going to go ahead and the U.S. coming back. It was obviously a fortunate goal, but I think overall if you look at the game, there wasn’t much in it. It was a 50/50 match, and I think the draw was a fair result.”
On the Scottish National Team
“We’re desperate to qualify for a competition soon. It’s gotten very difficult to qualify in Europe now, the groups are very tough. This time for the European championships we’ve been drawn against Spain and the Czech Republic. Therefore, that’s going to be difficult. We’re trying to progress, we’ve got a new manager now, and hopefully that will bring us some new fortune. We’ve got a lot of young good players and the Scottish league, maybe not blessed with the money at that time in previous years, so they’re trying to rely on a lot of youth and young players, and I think we’re seeing the goods of that coming through now. Hopefully with a little bit of luck, we’ve been close the last couple of campaigns, but we just need that extra little bit of luck that might take us through. I think the rest of the world will want to see the great fans that we’ve got at a major tournament because it’d definitely be a good addition.”
Memories of 2003-04 Manchester United Tours
“I was in the first season on the team. Obviously, it was exciting for me because it was the first time I traveled with the first team. Going to America is great. I think all the players love going there. You know the facilities are going to be excellent, and every time we play, the stadiums [are] filled with packed crowds. I think that what excites the players about going is the fact that you know what you’re going to get, and facilities are always excellent everywhere we go to train at the universities or at the different training complexes. Obviously, looking forward to playing against the teams in the U.S., last time we played the likes of Juventus and Celtic, but this time we’re actually going to play a couple of local teams so that’s going to be a good experience as well.
Goals for 2010 Manchester United preseason Tour
“Every game you play, you want to win but the most important thing for us on this tour is getting our fitness. This squad will be a lot of young players. There will be a lot of younger players on the squad trying to impress, and everyone will be watching their minutes and trying not to get injured as well. Although you desperately want to win every game you play, you’re also, in the back of your mind, aware that we’re about to start an important Premier League campaign. It’s all about managing yourself physically for these matches, watching your minutes and not going for any silly challenges as you don’t want to pick up any unfortunate injuries in the preseason.”
On player loyalty within Manchester United
“I think that the fact that when you’re here I think you see the biggest club, if not the biggest in the world. I think you look at it as a step down if you have to leave. If you’re lucky enough to stay here for your whole career, you know that you’ll have played at the top for your whole career, and it doesn’t get much bigger than Manchester United. Obviously circumstances and players have to leave and go on, and there’s still some fantastic clubs out there, but speaking to players who left, they always say, “always think twice before you have to leave, because there is nowhere like Manchester United.” They always say the most enjoyable times they had in their career was at Manchester United. Everything about the club: the way it’s run, the organization, working under the best manager, arguably of all time. All these factors make it the place you want to be really in. No one really thinks about leaving when you’re here.”
Greatest Manchester United player
“Being Scottish, Dennis Law appeals to me; I know my dad is a very big Dennis Law fan. Obviously Sir Bobby Charlton, you’ll find it hard to go past Sir Bobby Charlton, and George Best and Dennis Law, but Ryan Giggs is closing up on them as well with what he’s achieved, how many games he’s played and what he’s won as a player. Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, they’re almost like urban legends in this squad just now, fantastic role models for us younger players to have.”
Greatest Player Fletcher’s Played Against
“Paul Scholes. Just for the fact that he’s a central midfielder like myself, to have played at the top for 10-15 years and is a top level performer and just having to train against him every day. That’s really the benchmark for me, trying to get to reach his level. For what he’s achieved, he used to score 20-odd goals a season, season in-season out, [he] never really got the credit he deserved. Now he’s obviously almost a deep-lying quarterback, really a midfielder who starts the plays from deep and plays long-range of passing. I just take it from the fact that I’ve got to train against him every day. I find it very difficult.”
On the possibility of playing in MLS in the future
“Obviously you can never rule anything out. I think everything about MLS appeals to players and everything about America- it is a great country. You also see how MLS has progressed. Each year you see something new. The league keeps getting bigger and bigger. I know a lot of the young kids in America are playing football. I think it’s a massively grown sport, and I think it will just keep getting bigger and bigger. You never know, there some great teams that I know would be a big attraction to a lot of players and obviously having David Beckham go out there - it doesn’t get any better than him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few more player head out there.”
Manchester United Q&A: Darren Fletcher
