Rio Ferdinand DEFENDS Ten Hag after Brentford debacle: Says he joined United 'under false pretenses', tells 'disrespectful' Glazers to outline a plan and savages them for 'BEGGING' De Jong to join

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Rio Ferdinand has staunchly defended Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag following their shameful 4-0 defeat at Brentford. 

Speaking on his podcast, Vibe with Five, Ferdinand leapt to the Dutchman's aid despite overseeing one of lowest moments in United's recent memory.

'I don't feel sorry for the players, I feel sorry for Ten Hag,' Ferdinand said. 'He's coming under false pretenses. He's coming expected new signings.

'He's probably sitting there thinking "I've been sold a dummy here. I didn't know I was coming into this". Confidence, I know, was going to be low.

'He knew that but he thought "I'll be able to rebuild that," but obviously the players are not at the standard required. Simple as that.

Erik ten Hag has had a nightmare start to his Manchester United managerial career, losing the opening to games, at home to Brighton and most recently, away to Brentford.

Rio Ferdinand stood up for Ten Hag in the aftermath of the shock 4-0 Brentford defeat

'Some of the players will sit there and go "that's out of order, you can't talk," - it's a fact! The results tell you that. This isn't a result over a month or two, this is a result over a long sustained amount of time. 

'You've had ample time to kind of lose form and build it back up again and come back and show us your true selves. It ain't happening.'

Ferdinand admitted former United players, himself included, occasionally speak with a 'diplomatic' touch regarding the tribulations at Old Trafford and in turn, stray from the harsh reality of their situation. 

'You don't want to absolutely smash players or smash people at the football club,' he said. 'But you can't defend this! This is an indefensible situation right now because it's so bad, it's terrible.

'I mean, we're only two games in, but we're two games in on the back of what happened last season as well by the way. 

'So, people can't go "oh, it's only two games," and I'm not even blaming the manager. 

Cristiano Ronaldo must've been wishing he had left early following the 4-0 defeat to the Bees

'I wouldn't blame Ten Hag right now. You can pick at his team selection or whatever but this is a bigger problem, a wider problem than that.'

Ferdinand went on to echo the sentiments of former teammate Gary Neville, demanding the Glazers leave the tranquility of Tampa, FL and 'front up' to the mess in Manchester. 

'Where the hell are they?! Get here! Get over here! 

'This ain't like no normal business, this is a football club with heritage with history, with character, with personality, real people involved. So, treat it like that.  

'They don't communicate with the fans, they're not communicating with the people, no one knows where they are, no once can put a face to it! I think that's disrespectful and I think it's out of order. 

'I think they need to come here and put themselves right at the front and start shouldering some of this blame. Because they are allowing other people to take the blame and they are intrinsic in what goes on at this football club -- good or bad.

Brentford defender Ben Mee nodded home the Bees' third goal inside the opening half-hour

'We're not just losing, we're getting battered. We're an embarrassment at the moment and no one's coming here to front up.'

During England's Sky Sports' postgame coverage Neville said: 'There is a family in America that is letting its employees take the blame. They need to get on a plane to Manchester and explain what the plan is. We never will have the Glazers here.'

United face problems off the pitch as well, with the saga surrounding main transfer target, Frenkie de Jong doing little to ease any pain. 

According to Ferdinand, United are doing their very best Oliver Twist impression in their pursuit of the Barcelona midfielder.

'We're almost wh**ing ourselves out for this player. For three months in the transfer window, with our cap out begging, "please come to us, please come to us."

Harry Maguire issues a rallying call after Brentford's third goal which failed spectacularly

Bruno Fernandes and company will be under enormous scrutiny ahead of their next fixture at home to north-west rivals, Liverpool, on August 22nd.

'They've walked around behind him, begging him (de Jong), "please turn round and notice us, please turn round and notice us." And he's looking around and saying "not for me." 

'And we're still there; "please give us one chance." How are we putting ourselves in that position? How are we allowing ourselves to be put in a position like that?

'Do you think Klopp or Pep or Sir Alex or Jose would be following around a player like this?! They wouldn't be doing that!'

Things only get brighter for United with the visit of Liverpool awaiting them on August 22.