David James says the sacking of Paul Hart at Portsmouth is part of football life.

The England goalkeeper admits he's delighted with the appointment of Avram Grant as new manager.

Portsmouth lost their first seven games this season and Hart was axed with the club still three points adrift at the bottom of the table after just two wins this season.

And James admitted to The Sun: "Unfortunately we all understand there are casualties in this game and what happened is due to the fact we are bottom of the league, "We have been playing decent enough football and a lot of our games have been very close.

"I think we've had six 1-0 defeats and lost eight by the odd goal but the results have gone the wrong way so something's not quite right. I've been chatting to the other players about the situation over the last few days saying how, in the past, we would get thumped 3-0 but we could also win a few 3-0.

"This season, though, we weren't winning many at all and it becomes very difficult when you've only won two games all season. I want to be a manager myself and you understand casualties will occur when things aren't going well.

"We were close to being right. You look at the game at Stoke last weekend where we did everything we could and the stats were in our favour except for the one that mattered - which is that they scored and we didn't.

"That needs to be improved but the players are capable of that. I haven't got a problem with the ability and the determination of the players at this club, not at all.

"People will ask why the players might do it for the new manager when they didn't do it for the previous guy, but I suppose that's why clubs change them.

"That's not to denigrate the previous manager - it's just what happens."