Portsmouth's senior players were influential in the sacking of Tony Adams, it has been revealed.
The Sun says owner Sacha Gaydamak had initially been prepared to give Adams more time - despite his despair at Pompey conceding two goals in the last five minutes on Saturday.
But one senior player, supported by his colleagues, contacted Gaydamak to tell him the dressing room no longer had any confidence in Adams and the manager had to go.
Gaydamak further canvassed opinion among board members.
And by Sunday morning he decided he had no option but to sack Adams, with the club one point above the relegation zone having won only TWO of their last 16 league games.
Those Adams thought he could trust had done for him. A Fratton Park insider said: "Gaydamak could not keep Adams on once he heard what the players were thinking.
"The manager had lost the dressing room completely and was made to pay the price.
"Although Portsmouth played well for a large part of the Liverpool game, the team needed direction to hold on to the lead and didn't feel they got that.
"And Adams' attitude in the dressing room afterwards was little more than, 'Never mind lads, better luck next time'.
"But that's not enough. A manager has to show direction and leadership, so the players have a man they can believe in and someone they are prepared to put their body on the line for.
"Adams might have brought out that spirit as a captain at Arsenal but he couldn't do it as a manager."