Martin Jol arrives at Old Trafford on Sunday with his long-term future as Tottenham manager hanging in the balance after being left in no doubt about the club's Champions League expectations at a meeting with chairman Daniel Levy.
Ferguson is an admirer of Jol's work as a coach in Holland and is dismayed that the Dutchman's position has been called into question so early in the season.
But with the Premier League champions yet to register a win this season, the Tottenham manager can expect no favours at Old Trafford.
Yet Ferguson has no doubt who he believes is responsible for costing many of his colleagues their jobs.
"It's just sad that there's such a knee jerk reaction in football today," said Ferguson.
"I don't know how many times I have sat here over the years and supported managers under pressure because you know it's not fair. But it doesn't change.
"There's no evidence that sacking a manager gets you success.
"I don't know where the root of it comes from. I know it's probably happened here from time to time.
"When I had a bad spell here people were saying I should have retired six years ago, I'm too old and all that nonsense.
"There's a root to criticism quickly in football today.
"If you look at the corporate hospitality of football today - you go into some boardrooms and there's only about four directors but 30 or 40 hangers-on.
"They (the hangers-on) are the ones who think they know everything and are the ones who are probably laying the seeds of it.
"When I came here at first they used to call it the second board. They used to meet on Monday in the Grill Room (at Old Trafford) and discuss everything that happened on the Saturday and make their opinions known. That was the way.
"That happens at football clubs and that maybe is where the seed is sewn.
"And so when somebody like Martin at a club with Tottenham's expectations has a bad spell the inevitable happens."
Ferguson is refusing to press the panic button despite failing to see his side win any of their first three games.
United start the weekend seven points adrift of the top of the table after two draws and a defeat, but believes it is only a matter of time before his side is firing on all cylinders again.
"We'll win the game on Sunday," said a confident Ferguson. "Tottenham are coming with a great determination to help their manager but with the ability in this team, (the winless run) can't continue for long, I'm sure of that."
United are without Gary Neville who has picked up a thigh strain in training, but Louis Saha could be on the bench after a knee injury.
"Louis gave us 15 goals in the first half of last season and if he'd continued playing he may probably have got to the 30 mark," said Ferguson.
"That was a big loss to us in the second half of last season and we just never got him back on the field. But he has been doing well in training for us in the last few weeks and if he does come back for us it is a big boost."
Tottenham have 18-year-old defender Gareth Bale and Teemu Tainio back to face United and Jol has not ruled Dimitar Berbatov out.
Bale, who has yet to start a game since his five-million-pound (10 million dollar) move from Southampton, and Tainio returned from injury and illness for Wales and Finland respectively on Wednesday.
"Dimitar still has a bit of a problem with his groin but he might be able to make it and Younes Kaboul is progressing well with his hamstring, better than Michael Dawson, who is still out with his ankle injury," said Jol.
Darren Bent is struggling to make the game because of a thigh problem while England defender Ledley King remains sidelines with a damaged knee.
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