Premier League managers including Tony Pulis and David Moyes have expressed their disappointment at Claudio Ranieri's sacking by Leicester City.
The reigning champions announced on Thursday that they had parted company with Ranieri less than 10 months on from their remarkable title triumph.
Leicester's owners made it clear that concern for the club's top-flight survival was behind their decision, with widespread reports suggesting the team's senior players had called for the board to take action after they lost faith in Ranieri's methods.
West Brom boss Pulis said he was disappointed at the news but suggested Leicester had become "carried away" by their stunning success of last term.
"I'm disappointed. Am I surprised? I don't think you can be surprised by what happens in football at times," Pulis told a news conference.
"Sometimes people lose focus, direction and get carried away with the publicity and everything that surrounds it.
"I'm always disappointed if a manager leaves but this is the Premier League, this is football.
"My argument is that you have to be focused on the next game, because in management it turns so quickly.
"You can't take your foot off the pedal. I'm afraid if you do that and start to get relaxed and take things for granted it's the worst game in the world for kicking you up the backside."
5 - Prior to Leicester, the last reigning top-flight champion to lose five league games in a row were Chelsea in March 1956. Sacked.February 23, 2017
Moyes, who was sacked by then-defending champions Manchester United in April 2014, described the news as a dark day for managers across the world.
"I'm really disappointed for Claudio," said the Sunderland boss. "For managers now it's put in perspective that you can win the Premier League and you go three-quarters of the next season not doing so well and you can lose your job.
"So if you ask me, I'm really sad for Claudio - and I think it's a disappointing day for managers all around the world if this is what can happen."
Bournemouth's Eddie Howe added: "I've got a lot of time for him, he's a real gentleman and a positive person.
"To see him lose his job in the manner that he has is very sad, considering everything that he did last season, the historic achievements that him and his team were able to do, to find himself in this position now is very sad.
"It doesn't taint Claudio's story and he will always be remembered for that historic achievement and rightfully so."
Sevilla head coach Jorge Sampaoli, whose side beat Leicester 2-1 in the Champions League last-16 first leg this week in Ranieri's final match in charge, feels the Italian paid the price for football's lack of nostalgia.
‘"Looking on from a distance, it makes me feel very sad, that someone who achieved the unthinkable is dismissed the following year," he said.
"Personally it bothers me, given the respect that Claudio deserves, but I can't comment on something that I don't fully know about. Unfortunately, we play every week and it seems no one can remember what happened a week ago."
