Nottingham Forest legend Kenny Burns has blasted the decision to sack Martin O'Neill and replace him with Sabri Lamouchi.
The decision to fire Burns' fellow European Cup winner O'Neill and replace him with the former France international minutes later came as a shock on Friday.
While Burns says Lamouchi's appointment cannot be immediately written off, he questions the wisdom of appointing a man who has never coached in England.
Burns drew immediate comparisons with Philippe Montanier, Forest's last French coach, who, like Lamouchi was previously at Rennes before coming to Nottingham.
"This feels like another Montanier appointment and we know how that worked out," he said.
"You have to give this new guy a chance but I'd have liked to have seen Forest go for someone like Garry Monk or Nigel Pearson.
"If the players didn't like Martin then tough. You're paid to play for Nottingham Forest.
"These players need to get their heads down. Garry Monk and Nigel Pearson could have gone in there and sorted them out.
"Lamouchi has never coached in England before. His track record is okay, but not amazing. I'd like to see more about his style of play and everything, but this does not sit well at the moment."
Burns suspects O'Neill has probably had his last job as a manager after being sacked after less than six months at the City Ground.
While he believes the former Northern Ireland international will have been stunned at the timing of his removal just one day before the first pre-season friendly, he feels O'Neill will have accepted his fate with dignity.
"Martin was trying to move this club on. He had a year left on his contract and will have expected the chance to win promotion," Burns said.
"He's a noble man and will have taken the news professionally. I believe he'd just moved to a new place here.
"I don't like it and the players need to have a good look at themselves.
"You can't say for sure, but this feels like the end for Martin as a manager. Where else would he go?
"He's managed internationally and done well in the Premier League with Aston Villa and Leicester.
"He dropped into the Championship because it was Forest and because of his affinity with the club. I can't see him managing again."
