Sunderland owner Ellis Short sacked Paolo di Canio after a furious training ground bust-up, it has been revealed.

The Daily Mail says a clutch of his players, however, are understood to have responded angrily at Di Canio's dressing down, telling the Italian in no uncertain terms what they thought of him.

It is believed certain players told the manager, who signed 14 players during the summer transfer window, they did not like him and did not want to play for him.

Di Canio is then said to have told his disgruntled players to tell the club's hierarchy to sack him if they no longer wanted him in charge.

Details of the stand-off were quickly relayed back to Short, who has taken the decision to axe the manager after just six months in charge.