Southampton chairman Nico Cortese says the sacking of Nigel Adkins was "perfect".

He was immediately replaced by Argentinean Mauricio Pochettino, with the general consensus being that Adkins had been harshly treated.

In an interview with Sky Sports News, Cortese said: "Nigel and I, we always had a very good relationship, to the last second. It was very tough, not just for him but for me.

"To me, there's one time, which is right, especially if you are 100% convinced it is the right thing. Ultimately for the team it was the right thing, it was perfect timing.

"It sounds harsh but it was for the benefit of the progress we want to achieve over the next couple of months and years. It's not only for today but for tomorrow."