Manchester United legend insists Erik ten Hag should stay and has been 'unfairly' scrutinized this season
Criticism of Erik ten Hag this season has been “unfair” and he has shown he deserves more time as Manchester United manager.
That is the view of United captain Steve Bruce, who won twice and wants the Dutchman to keep his job.
ten witches has led the Red Devils to a second successive FA Cup final, but get ready for Saturday's showdown against Man City: which is LIVE on talkSPORT – has been overshadowed by rumors about the coach's future.
has been claimed united man Bosses have already decided to relieve Ten Hag of his duties after the match, regardless of the result.
Ten Hag has said the opposite, insisting on a fiery interview after a week of speculation that he has been given assurances that United's new hierarchy are planning their rebuild from top to bottom with him in the dugout.
There have been plenty of 'Ten Hag out' calls, including from talkSPORT pundits Simon Jordan and Martin Keown, who believe the FA Cup final will be the former Ajax manager's last game in charge of the Red Devils.
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But Bruce feels his achievements in two seasons at Old Trafford show he deserves more time to do well.
“I hope Ten Hag stays, I really, really hope,” Bruce told talkSPORT live from BOXPARK Wembley ahead of Saturday's final.
“But when you read everything that appears in the newspapers, I fear for him, because it doesn't come out of nowhere. There are many rumors and speculations circulating.
“I hope it's not another Louis van Gaal (fired just days after lifting the FA Cup in 2016). Personally I think the manager has done a very, very decent job and I hope he is part of the renewal that seems to be happening at Manchester United.
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“The club has had five or six coaches in the last ten years. Apart from Chelsea in the days of the Abramovich era, it has been proven that cutting and changing all the time, changing philosophies and the way the team plays does not work.”
Bruce feels sympathy for Ten Hag, as he had previously been under pressure in his coaching situation.
And he insists that criticism of the Dutchman this season is “unfair” given what he has had to face on and off the field in what has been a tough second campaign as Manchester United manager.
“For me this year has been a bit unfair to him because he has been plagued by injuries defensively,” said the former United defender.
“I know there will be people saying they should be able to cope, but the number they have had, 14 different central defensive partnerships, tells its own story.
“He reached the FA Cup final last year, reached a second this year, won a League Cup final and took the team to the Champions League.
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“I don't want to see any manager under pressure, and I have to say that the way he has handled it has been commendable: it can't be easy to see every day that everyone is willing to do their job, all week in every article newspaper, every television program, everything.”
Bruce says club bosses should act quickly after Saturday's final to clarify Ten Hag's future after a week of heavy speculation.
“The quicker the club solves all this, the better,” he added.
“But there has been a big change at the club, to the point that some of the people hired haven't even started working yet; you have to give them time.”
