Sacked Slaven Bilic personally telephoned West Ham stars to ask them where he had gone wrong.
In an astonishing move, axed boss Bilic spoke to Hammers stars as he got to grips with Monday’s firing.
The players didn’t hold back — he was told he had not been tough enough on his squad.
A key issue was that the 49-year-old former West Ham defender allowed poor time-keeping to go unpunished.
When players reported late for training sessions, Bilic failed to make an issue of it and, at times, even allowed them escape clearly justified club fines.
Some squad members were also known to report onto the training pitch after a session had begun, again without official sanction.
Players’ concerns about the quality and intensity of his training also emerged in the final weeks of Bilic’s reign.
Many West Ham stars liked Bilic the man, and were prepared to help him in his debrief reviewing his two-and-a-half year reign.
The issues highlight what will be one of the major priorities for new boss David Moyes as he tries to lift third-bottom Hammers away from the relegation zone when play resumes after this international break.
But former West Ham boss Sam Allardyce said the players also have to take a share of the blame for successor Bilic’s exit.
“He didn’t live up to the expectation this season,” said Big Sam. “Bilic paid the price for that, the players let him down badly.”
Bilic said on Tuesday: “I am going to have a break with the family now. I don’t want to jump straight back into something.
“Last year – and even now – I have had calls from clubs in other countries, but I want to rest a little bit.
“I can’t see myself doing anything before next January at the earliest, but then we will see what is happening. There is no rush.”
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