Add Mikael Silvestre's voice to the chorus of former Manchester United stars who disagree with the club's decision to strip Sir Alex Ferguson's status as an ambassador.
Ferguson had been an ambassador for the Red Devils since retiring as the most successful manager in club football history in 2013, but that position was recently ended amid a slew of cost-cutting measures by United minority owner Jim Ratcliffe.
It was reported that Ferguson was earning £2 million per year in the ambassadorial role, making him an easy target for Ratcliffe's INEOS Group as the club aim to decrease expenses.
However, the move has not gone over well in certain quarters, with former United forward Eric Cantona recently calling the decision "totally scandalous" and accusing the club's ownership of "a lack of respect" towards Ferguson.
Silvestre, who played under Ferguson for nine years and won a Champions League title and four league titles during his time at Old Trafford, called the timing of the decision into question, blasting the club for announcing the move amid a poor run of form.
"Removing Sir Alex Ferguson as a club ambassador was a business decision for Manchester United, but the timing was all wrong," Silvestre told Norskebettingsider.
"I’m very surprised at the way the club handled it. It came on the back of a major defeat in a time when there was so much bad press already, that’s what annoyed me the most.
"In terms of Sir Alex, he is still a major figure at the club and has his own private box, he will still be fully committed to United so it’s not a major decision, it is just the timing."