A close friend of Erik ten Hag has revealed he told the Dutchman to QUIT Manchester United before the new season.
The mood around Old Trafford is at an all-time low with United unable to get out of their current slump.
They've won just three of their opening 10 matches of the new campaign with Ten Hag facing repeated questions over his future.
The 54-year-old has maintained confidence in his own ability to turn things around and feels he has the support of the board.
Erik ten Hag has come under huge pressure this seasonReutersBut a growing section of the United fanbase feel Ten Hag should be replaced and a close personal friend of the manager clearly sensed it coming a few months ago.
Leon Ten Voorde called it a 'miracle' that Ten Hag has remained in charge of United and even advised him to walk away.
"I advised him to leave last summer," he told the De Ballen Verstand of TC Tubantia podcast.
"He won the FA Cup, so you leave through the front door.
"He's had a lot of injuries this past year. But then trainers think: 'I can turn things around'.
"How long does United think this can go on?
"That question is now hanging over United and Ten Hag again.
"In general, he is calm and relaxed. But I can't imagine that this leaves you completely unaffected."
Erik ten Hag is confident he can turn things around
GETTYSir Jim Ratcliffe has revealed he won't be the man who decides on Ten Hag's future, insisting the decision rests elsewhere.
“I don’t want to answer that question," he said when asked if he still had faith in Ten Hag.
"I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe insists he won't make the decision on sacking Erik ten Hag
PA"But that team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July.
"They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [Sporting Director] Dan Ashworth - they only arrived in July.
"They’ve only been there…you can count it in weeks almost - they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.
"Our objective is very clear - we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously - that’s very clear.”
