Martin O'Neill has dismissed the "ridiculous" idea that player power led to him being sacked by Evangelos Marinakis as Nottingham Forest manager.

O'Neill was only in charge of the Reds for five months between January and June 2019, taking charge of 19 matches. He won eight, drew three and lost eight of those matches before leaving the City Ground and being replaced by Sabri Lamouchi.

And over four years later he has set the record straight about his exit, rubbishing any suggestions he was forced out by players. "There was this idea that there was player power when I was at Nottingham Forest," he told talkSPORT.

"Please do me a favour, I was there 19 games and player power, there wasn't a player strong enough or with the personality to usurp me. It was just ridiculous to talk about it.

"Players didn't get me out in the end. I believe a couple of players, nondescript players, sent their agents up to talk to the CEO, bigger fool him for listening to them if that's the case.

"I can only run the football club the way I wanted to run the football club. If it's not the way that (Evangelos) Marinakis wants me to run the football club then that's fine but please don't give me this here about player power.

"If I'd got Chris Sutton, or Henrik Larsson, or Neil Lennon coming up to me at Celtic, I'd dismiss them but I might think about it. When I've got a bunch of nondescripts doing it at Nottingham Forest, please, give me a break honestly.

"I got 19 games. Am I bitter about it? Absolutely. I am but this idea about player power please do me a favour."

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