Sacked Dundee United manager Paul Hegarty said on Friday he felt he had not been given sufficient time to turn around the club's fortunes.

Hegarty was given fewer than three months in the job before United chairman Eddie Thompson replaced him with Ian McCall.

The former Tannadice hero was unwilling to be hugely critical of Thompson.

He did admit, though, that he was angered by reports that the chairman had approached McCall while he was still in charge at United.

It is not as though there has been a death - life must go on Paul Hegarty

"I was shocked to have been dismissed as manager after only 86 days in charge and I really didn't see it coming," said Hegarty.

"I don't think that myself and coaches Maurice Malpas and John Holt - who have been stalwarts for this club - were given sufficient time to make an impact.

"If the reports are true that the board were speaking to others while we were still at the club then that's not a nice feeling.

"Saying that, I am not going to fall out with anyone over this and when I see the chairman or any of the directors in the future I will be polite as always.

"I just want to say that I wish the club all the success in the future and will still be going along to Tannadice as a supporter."

Hegarty also dismissed reports that the recent signings made by the club were targets identified by Thompson, rather than him.

"Gary (Bollan) and Andy (Tod) - as well as Billy Dodds and Daniele Chiarini - were brought to the club by me," he stressed.

"I identified them and then left it to the chairman to do the deals. This sort of thing happens a lot on the continent and I was happy to work with that situation."