Manchester United have parted ways with head coach Ruben Amorim, announcing his departure on Monday morning. The club has swiftly moved to appoint former player and technical director Darren Fletcher as caretaker manager, with the Scot taking charge for Wednesday night's Premier League fixture against Burnley.
Fletcher's Immediate Backroom Challenge
With little time to prepare, Fletcher has begun assembling his temporary coaching staff. He took his first training session on Monday and will hold his inaugural press conference at 5pm on Tuesday. The club received special Premier League approval to delay this briefing, as guidelines typically require it to be held by 1.30pm the day before a match.
Fletcher's support team will include Travis Binnion, the Under-21s head coach, and academy coach Alan Wright. In a significant development, the club is also approaching former defender Jonny Evans about joining the first-team coaching setup. Evans, who only left his role as United's head of loans and pathway a month ago, could be involved as soon as the Burnley game and is expected to stay until the season's end.
Widespread Coaching Exodus at Carrington
The dismissal of Amorim, who arrived from Sporting CP 14 months ago, has triggered a near-total clear-out of his backroom staff. All the coaches he brought from Portugal have now left the club. This group includes assistant head coach Carlos Fernandes, first-team coaches Adelio Candido and Emanuel Ferro, goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital, and fitness coach Paulo Barreira.
The sole survivor from the first-team coaching staff is goalkeeping coach Craig Mawson. The 46-year-old, who joined United from Burnley in 2019, will remain at Old Trafford, providing a rare thread of continuity.
Search for Experience and Future Decisions
While Fletcher steps into the breach, the United hierarchy is reportedly considering bringing in a more experienced interim manager to see out the campaign. Former bosses Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are among the names being discussed. Solskjaer is recently available after leaving Besiktas, while Carrick is out of work following his departure from Middlesbrough.
Fletcher's appointment marks his first senior head coach role. He previously served as a first-team coach under Erik ten Hag and as the club's technical director. His existing relationship with Jonny Evans, forged during their playing days together at both Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion, is seen as a valuable asset in the current unstable climate.
The decision to sack Amorim comes with a substantial financial cost for the club, which is obligated to pay a monster payout to the Portuguese manager and his departed staff. All eyes will now be on Turf Moor this Wednesday to see how Fletcher's hastily assembled team fares against Burnley.
