Topics: Football, Everton, Premier League, Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard's sacking came just days after a training ground 'bust-up' with one of his first team players led to him being dropped from training with the first team.
On Monday it was confirmed that Lampard's time at Everton had come to an end, just a week short of a year since he took over the reigns at the club.
He just about managed to keep them in the Premier League at the end of last season, with a come from behind win over Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the campaign.
However they have been plunged straight back into a relegation fight again, and having sold Richarlison last summer there is no obvious person to get them out of it.
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The club had looked to back the former Derby County manager, despite poor results, but fans pointed out that he looked worried before the weekend.
And he was right to, with his sacking coming two days after they lost to fellow relegation candidates West Ham United, going down 2-0 thanks to a Jarrod Bowen brace.
However, results may not be the only reason that he was given the sack, having fallen out with one of his few performing players last week.
According to the Daily Mail, an argument in training with Abdoulaye Doucoure led the player to be left out of the squad for the trip to West Ham at the weekend.
According to the report, Doucoure fell out with his now former manager following the previous weekend's 2-1 home defeat to Southampton, in which James Ward-Prowse scored an excellent free kick.
The midfielder had an argument with Lampard in the changing room but then things continued at the club's Finch Farm training ground during the week.
Instead of sending the Mali international star down to train with the under 21s, the former Chelsea boss decided to make him train completely on his own.
In his press conference last week, Lampard hinted at being unhappy with some players, saying, "I had things to say because from my point of view in the position we are in, we have fight and be ready for the fight.
"If the players in the dressing room are disappointed we lost then that's good.
"If they want to fight and be a good teammate, not think about themselves, think about the team and try to get the result the next week and train great intensity, whether they are starting or not, that is all I want."
Doucoure has just six months left on his deal at Goodison Park, and will likely leave in the summer, but Lampard's continued presence could have sped up his exit.
The former Watford midfielder may decide to stay for the rest of the campaign depending who takes over as manager, with Marcelo Bielsa, Sean Dyche and Wayne Rooney amongst the favourites for the job.
Whoever does take the job will likely still have to manage the team amongst protests from fans, who aren't happy with how the club are being run.
After the Southampton game, certain fans stopped players from leaving the area around the ground, in order to confront them.
