Alex Kirkland

getting better the team weren't improving even those sort of winning runs you mentioned there they weren't particularly convincing they weren't playing consistently well they didn't seem to be really a real I got an idea of okay this is the way forward and in fact the way that he'd come in with his ideas in the summer the way that he wanted teams to play we were seeing kind of less of that and not more and the other thing I think about why it happens now is that there's still so much at stake

There's half the season left.

The team is still in the title race in the league.

They're still in the Copa del Rey.

They play in the Cup this week.

They're still in the Champions League.

Yes, they've lost the Supercopa, the least important of the trophies up for grabs this season.

So I think it's a combination of all of those factors that means it happens now.

But still, yeah, the timing does come as a big surprise.

Like I say, earlier on today, no one was expecting us to have this conversation right now.

Yeah, it's the classic thing when you're basically on alert watching social media.

Which of the players are going to post statements saying goodbye, thanks boss, all the best for the future?

And which of them are going to be conspicuously silent?

I think Mbappé was the first one to post on Instagram, sort of paying tribute to Xabi Alonso.

And after him...

Last time I checked, most of the other squad had followed.

One or two hadn't.

Now, this may have changed, but last time I looked, I hadn't seen something from Vinicius Junior.

I hadn't seen something from Duke Bellingham.

Of course, two of the biggest names and two of the players that in different ways we understand have had one or two issues with the coach.