Fletch: Refs shouldn’t let media comments affect decision making

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher insists he isn’t a dirty player, despite his growing reputation as a battler.

A number of referees seem to be clamping down on Fetcher’s perceived aggression this season, most notably on Saturday when Mark Clattenburg sent the Scot off during United’s draw with Birmingham.

He told the M.E.N: “Saturday was disappointing because I was constantly being fouled and when I said something the ref said to me ‘it’s a man’s game’.”

“So I went in hard and he books me. Then he booked me again for nothing really. You don’t want to miss games for any reason and to miss one for suspension disrupts things for me.”

Fletcher will now be suspended for United’s next game against Burnley, but believes they have the depth to cope in his absence.

“We have enough midfielders so I am sure someone will come in and do a good job. But someone coming in and doing well could mean I can’t get back into the side and that is the risk.

“But I cannot afford to think of that when I play. I play every game for the moment and I don’t look too far forward.

“We needed to get stuck in against Birmingham and battle and that is what we did. I didn’t concern myself with any possible consequences.

Fletcher believes the referees shouldn’t let comments in the media affect their decision making on the pitch.

“You have to trust the referees that they are not going to take notice of what people say or write. They have to judge each game and referee it fairly and that is all I can ask.

“I am not a dirty player by any stretch of the imagination. I go in for the ball and sometimes I might mistime it and make a foul.”

“But I am not a dirty player. I don’t know whether all this goes back to the Wenger comments. He said what he said and all I can hope for is that referees are going to be fair and they usually are to be honest.”

Short URL: http://www.strettyender.com/?p=1029