It’s good to know that people who have come across Darren Fletcher this summer have been telling him the truth.
“The only thing people have said to me this summer is that United missed me in Rome,” said Fletcher. “It is nice to hear and I did feel I made a big step forward last season. But sometimes you become a better player by not playing. People notice you because you are not there. It is easy to sit in the stand. I was desperate to be out there. There are some great midfielders at the club but I managed to get into the team for the start of the season and stay there for most of it. My performances improved because of the continuity of playing most weeks. Now I feel as if I am right in there competing for a place in the starting line-up each week, although I can’t take anything for granted because there is so much competition.”
There was talk of Fletcher’s decision to play for United in the Community Shield this weekend, despite the rest of the Scotland team getting together on Thursday for training.
“I was always going to play for Scotland this week but I did not want to miss a Manchester United game either,” he added. “There is competition for places at this club. If you take your face out of things it gives someone else a chance to perform, so I wanted to be fighting for my place. I want to play for Manchester United as much as I do for Scotland.”
