It does not surprise me that Darren Fletcher has been passed the reins at Manchester United as interim manager for Wednesday's game at Burnley. Darren is an outstanding person, and he would be the perfect choice to take the job on a longer-term basis following Ruben Amorim's departure. Fletch, as everyone in football calls him, is someone I know very well.

He has been at United since he was a young lad, has worked under the great Sir Alex Ferguson and played alongside some of the most illustrious names in the club's long history. All of that will count for nothing once the game against Burnley starts, though, so why do I feel he is a top coach in the making?

It goes back to when he played for me, when his contribution on and off the pitch was incredible. Having received an unbelievable reference from Sir Alex about Fletch - which was so good it was frightening - I took him to West Brom in February 2015. One of the things Sir Alex told me was that for United's big games in the Champions League, away from home, he would always pick him because he was an out-and-out winner who gave everything in every game.

Sir Alex said he knew that, if it was going to be really tough and he needed someone in midfield who would be absolutely relentless, then he always played Fletch. He said you could always count on him in a game and you could always depend on him off the pitch as well, because he was an absolutely fantastic lad.

I knew he'd tell me that, talking about a fellow Scot, but I soon found out he was telling me the truth. From the hundreds of signings I made in my 30-year managerial career, I would honestly say I don't think I signed a better player or person. People ask me about players I've worked with and people who have been an influence in my teams. At all of my clubs there were some big influences in the dressing room, and I liked strong characters. Fletch was definitely one of those.

He was a gentleman, a top professional, and he led by example. He's not a shouter or a hollerer, but he knew the game so well. Although he had suffered a very difficult time with illness before he joined us, during his time at The Hawthorns he played in all the Premier League teams I picked while I was West Brom manager. He started all but one of those 91 games, and during that spell he started 86 consecutive league games for us, which was a record for any active player at that time.

His influence on and off the pitch was fantastic and, although his glory years at United were over, he provided the leadership we needed to take the Albion to a top-10 finish in the Premier League. The club had some brilliant players and plenty of other strong characters, yet I'm sure not one of them would have had a bad word to say about their captain.

The leadership and man-management skills he will need now at United were clear to see then. He was a great lad to have around off the pitch but was not afraid to speak his mind to me either. He would always debate my tactics if he felt it was right to do so, and at times showed a steely backbone when needed.

I believe that, given the chance, and given the time, Fletch can become a top candidate for the permanent job - if United decide to take a deep breath and give him a fair chance to show what he is capable of. He is United through and through, so will know the task in hand and will not be afraid to make hard decisions.

Many years ago, another young Scot took charge at Old Trafford. Sir Alex was backed because the people at the club believed in him. Given time, Fletch could be what United fans have been waiting for too.

I was delighted to see Liam Rosenior get the Chelsea job this week, because we need more British managers in the Premier League. He is managing a top team too, which does not happen very often for British managers nowadays. Hopefully Fletch will get an opportunity to do exactly the same at United as well.

United are not the only major team to have sacked their manager this week. Christmas and early new year have barely passed us and the spirit of goodwill has certainly bypassed football management! With the changes at Celtic and Chelsea also producing a tidal wave of disappointment in some quarters and joy in others, it leads me to question again what really makes a good manager or coach in this day and age.

The game has changed dramatically since my era, when management was about total control, encompassing all football matters. Clubs now, whether big or small, are, without much doubt, running a system where managers have morphed into two different roles - a director of football, and a first-team coach. Because of that, most clubs now just require the first-team coach to do what it says on the can, which is to coach the first team.

All other responsibilities outside that job are now down to the director of football. So, what is needed today to be successful as a first-team coach at a top club? Firstly, you have to win games! Also, as we've seen with what has happened at United and Chelsea, your relationship with the director of football must be absolutely bulletproof - for many reasons, but again more so for the coach's benefit.

They have to trust the recruitment of the club's players, understand the club's identity and produce a strong bond between all the different departments on the football side, such as the academy or medical staff specifically, that can affect their success. By doing so, you build a club where, from the top end to the bottom, everyone understands that they are all in this process together. That enables the club to become a winning club, but for that to happen there are as many things that you need to get right off the pitch as well as on it.

Those are the challenges for whoever does get the job at Old Trafford, and anywhere else.

Tony Pulis was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.