Oxford United commentator Jerome Sale reflects on where things went wrong for Gary Rowett and what is next for the club.
This always felt like a rental agreement, not a purchase for life, and that is fine because as such it worked.
It is understood that when the final decision was made and communicated to Gary Rowett, he left the training ground without addressing the players collectively.
But with the benefit of hindsight it would have been so much better for Oxford United to have thanked Rowett for his brilliant achievement in keeping the club in the Championship last summer, and seen his time at the Kassam Stadium as mission accomplished.
He lasted barely a year - his first six months was the Championship's go-to guy to keep a club up just doing his thing.
But that made everyone a little giddy about what could be achieved in the longer term but he stayed and both parties have lived to regret that.
United are where they were at Christmas last year - in the relegation zone and in significant trouble because they have no momentum.
Things were clearly coming to a head when Oxford were beaten by a badly out of form Charlton side.
The fans started to turn, while Rowett understandably wanted to get his version of events on the record - rounding on the supporters who called out his perceived brand of football or called for him to go as "disrespectful", pointing out that HE had kept THEIR team in the division a few short months earlier.
In the modern game, Oxford supporters are among the slowest to call for a managerial change and were shocked when the club sacked Des Buckingham 10 days before Christmas 2024.
This decision and its timing are not prompting the same reaction.
The writing was on the wall when Rowett said at the weekend that he had no clarity over the January transfer window, which is little more than a week away.
It suggests conflict with the ownership and board, but also a devil may care attitude about whether he would stay or go.
It felt like a "back me or sack me" interview that he gave to BBC Radio Oxford. Erick Thohir, the club's owner, after consultation with his senior management team in Oxford, chose the latter.
"I'm a head coach and have been for a long time," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford after Saturday's defeat by Charlton Athletic.
"The job's really simple, if you don't win games of football then someone either backs you in the transfer window that you're going to change things, or changes it.
"We all know the game and we all see it, I've had no indication from the club for either of those situations which is quite frustrating.
"The club needs a lift and I think it needs investment in January, I think it's quite clear that the club need help and that extra little bit on the pitch, the only way to do that is go and spend some money and bring some of those players in."
Changing the head coach may of course mean changing January window targets - some not all.
The plans for existing players may change for United, or if they are loan players, the plans of their parent clubs might.
Will available funds be increased? Recruitment these days is, of course, not completely the head coach's domain but they clearly have to have a significant input.
All is by no-means lost but if United are to make a fist of again beating the odds to survive in the Championship, they have to nail the January window AND the recruitment of Rowett's replacement.
United's head of football operations Ed Waldron is leading on both, and though the final call with be Thohir's, it is Waldron's time to shine.
The club have to get it right or Rowett's parting shots will echo long after his departure.
When Buckingham was sacked a year ago, Rowett had been appointed in time for the next game.
That won't happen again but Oxford - who have won just one match in 10 - clearly will have considered where they would turn if they decided to roll the dice again.
While Christmas won't be a time of relaxation for any at the club, I would expect to see the hot seat filled before most people are back at work after the New Year's celebrations.
Category: General Sports
