Strachan wants swift Fletcher return

New Scotland manager Gordon Strachan is keen for captain Darren Fletcher to return to the international fold as soon as possible.

New Scotland manager Gordon Strachan is keen for captain Darren Fletcher to return to the international fold as soon as possible.

The Manchester United midfielder, who has represented his country 61 times, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery in the hope to resolve his ongoing ulcerative colitis condition.

And while Strachan has sympathy for Fletcher, he is keen to be able to call upon the 29-year-old’s services in the near future.

“The quicker he gets back, the better for Manchester United and for me,” Strachan told BBC Radio Manchester.

“Any problems on the pitch never affect Darren and he’ll deal with the problems he’s got just now in the same way.

“If you look back at Manchester United over the last six or seven years – any time there’s been a big game, Darren’s played in it. As a manager, you pick a side you can trust.”

Strachan also took time out give his opinion on Sir Alex Ferguson’s claims that the current Manchester United squad is better than their treble-winning 1999 counterparts.

Strachan, who played at Old Trafford in the 1980s, said: “Whether you think they’re playing the most stylish football that’s ever been seen, you don’t know, but in terms of winning, it’s as good as you’ve seen.

“If you were picking a team of 11 from the two squads, I think a lot of that 1999 side would be in it, but with the game they’re playing, you probably need a bigger squad.”