Kevin De Bruyne has backed Vincent Kompany to shut out the critics and make a success of his new role at Anderlecht.
"He's been a manager for like two months, so what do you expect?" said the straight-talking midfielder.
"To go there and win every game? It's not like this in football. I think there's a lot of people who want him to fail, because to do this job, to be player and a manager, some people don't like it but I know Vinny pretty well and he probably won't care what people say about it."
"I spoke with him a few times, he's enjoying it," said De Bruyne.
"The games that I saw I think they're playing really well, they're missing a striker for the moment but I think he had a very tough job.
"I think he had like 50 players at the beginning of the season and had to let 25 players go, and he gained 10 players, it's nearly impossible. And then put another philosophy into it, it's very difficult.
"Obviously he didn't start well in terms of points but I can understand it a little bit because he is trying to play a style that we did and obviously we had growing pains, so I can understand that.
"Football is a business where you get points but I think he will get time. In Belgium only one is relegated so I don't think he needs to worry about that! If he gets the time that will be nice."