Rio Ferdinand says he would have resigned if he was in Ledley King's role at Tottenham after Ryan Mason was appointed interim boss.
The former Spurs captain is the assistant coach at the north London club and was part of Jose Mourinho's staff since last year.
But while most of Mourinho's first team coaching staff left along with the Portuguese head coach after being relieved of their duties, King has stayed on.
The ex-Tottenham defender is now working alongside Mason and Chris Powell until the end of the season to try and help the club finish in the top four.
However, former United centre-back Ferdinand thinks King should have been the man to temporarily replace Mourinho, rather than Mason.
Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, said: “If I was Ledley King, and I’ve been coaching the first-team under Jose Mourinho and they made the [head of player development] the replacement manager for Mourinho who I was coaching for, and I’m around the first-team every day, and they bring [Mason] as the interim manager in front of me, I’m handing in my resignation.
“Unless Ledley is happy in that role and has said, ‘bypass me, this ain’t for me. I don’t want to be the manager, I don’t want to be in the spotlight. We need to hear that from Ledley.”
King, speaking following Mason's appointment last week, believes he can help the interim Spurs boss implement a style of play that reflects their education at the club's academy.
"'Mase' [Ryan Mason] wants his team to go out and express themselves, play a style of football that is a joy to watch for the fans," King said, via the Evening Standard.
"We have many players who have not won anything and they're hungry to do so, so hopefully it will work out the same way it did for us in 2008.
"To have that understanding of what it means to be a winner, I do believe it improves you as a player. We've had a group of lads together for many years and I think they deserve it. It would be great to see them win it for the fans who have waited so long.
"The players have given everything.”
