Hull City manager Leonid Slutsky has left the club by "mutual consent" after being in charge for just six months.
The news comes as no surprise following the Tigers' dismal run of form in The Championship which has seen them go eight games without a victory.
A dismal start to the campaign
Before the season kicked off, majority of people connected with Hull had the belief that they could challenge for a place in the play-offs following their relegation from the Premier League last season.
However, a lot of key players such as Tom Huddlestone, Curtis Davies, Andrew Robertson, Ahmed Elmohamady and Sam Clucas all left the club in the summer which made it very difficult for Slutsky from the outset.
He was able to bring in the likes of Ondrej Mazuch, Fraizer Campbell, Kevin Stewart and Jon-Miquel Toral before the transfer window slammed shut but it remained clear that Hull's squad had significantly been hit and that it did not have sufficient depth to deal with the demands of Championship football.
Despite this, the Tigers should still be in a better position in the table than they are and they should not be going eight games without a win. There is without doubt enough quality in the squad to secure a mid-table finish. This is arguably why owner Assem Allam has decided to make a change before the January transfer window opens.
What next for the Tigers?
Following Hull's 2-2 draw away at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon, Slutsky spoke about how he did not have enough options in his squad and how he needed to add a presence upfront and two centre-backs in the January transfer window. However, he was given no indication by the club's owners on how much money he would have to spend.
This suggests that there was always the possibility that he could leave the club before the January transfer window opened. There has been speculation about him leaving the club for a significant amount of time now and he even suggested himself that he was close to resigning after seeing his side blow a two goal lead against Bristol City to lose 3-2 last weekend.
Following his departure, Hull are now looking for their fourth manager since the resignation of Steve Bruce last year. Their next appointment could be hugely significant with the Tigers currently sat 20th in The Championship, just three points off the relegation zone.
Early speculation has suggested that 52-year-old manager Nigel Adkins could be a candidate to takeover the role, having been out of work since being sacked by Sheffield United in May 2016 following an unsuccessful play-off campaign. Adkins certainly has experience at this level having previously managed Scunthorpe United, Southampton and Reading and could be the ideal manager to lead the Tigers away from danger.
Slutsky "proud" to have been given the opportunity
Slutsky told Hull's official website that he was proud to have been given the opportunity to manage the Tigers and wished the club all the best for the future.
He said: "I would like to really thank everyone associated with Hull City from the players and staff to the owner and especially the fans. I am very proud to have been through this experience, it was challenging but a very exciting time for me."
He added: "Hull City will always be a part of my heart and I wish the team all the very best for the future.”
Hull's Vice-Chairman Ehab Allam also passed on his gratitude to Slutsky for his work but highlighted how recent results meant that they had no other option but to part ways.
He said: “Leonid has worked tirelessly in his role and has acted with complete honour and been a pleasure to work with. Unfortunately results have not improved as both parties would have hoped and therefore it was agreed for the relationship to come to an end."
He added: “I would like to thank Leonid and Oleg for their efforts here and sincerely wish them well for the future.”