Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has questioned the management style of Paolo Di Canio following the Italian's sacking from the club.
Di Canio was dismissed by the Black Cats on Sunday night after five months in charge at the Stadium of Light.
It has since emerged that the players were unhappy with his coaching methods, particularly his public criticism of them.
"Player power will get criticised but in this particular incident they felt they were going into battle with a leader who wasn't with them", Quinn told talkSPORT.
"When you're in a battle you need a leader who you all look up to and want to go into a fight with you.
"Paolo Di Canio was ducking out of the battle by blaming the players and saying what a great manager he was."
Gianfranco Zola, Gus Poyet and Roberto Di Matteo are among the favourites to succeed Di Canio at Sunderland.
