Tim Sherwood sacked: 'I'll just turn my phone off', what former Aston Villa manager said prior to sacking

Manager made quip just hours before being fired

Tim Sherwood has been sacked as manager of Aston Villa, just hours after he quipped that he would "turn my phone off" should the board call him to deliver bad news.

The decision to part ways with the former Tottenham manager came following a 2-1 home defeat to Swansea, the club's fourth loss in a row in a season that has seen them win just once in the league.

Speaking after the match at Villa Park, Sherwood said: "Am I going to be in the job next week? I'm not the person to ask.

"I feel like the club is in a hole."

On the possibility of being sacked, he said: "It's out of my control.

"I can only control what I can control, and on Monday I'll be working as hard I've done since I came to this club."

He then joked he would avoid a call from the board if they wanted to sack him.

"I'll just turn my phone off."

After seeing his side lose to Swansea after the Welsh club scored just three minutes from full-time, Sherwood told BBC Sport: "I am disappointed with the result, we didn't deserve to lose the game.

"We can't carry anyone because we're getting done. At the moment we are short.

"If people don't give everything we'll come up short. There's no shortage in desire but the quality is not quite there.

"We're not world beaters. Our league position suggests we're not and today wasn't our day."

He added when speaking to Sky Sports: "I am gutted we haven't got anything from the game. It's not about me personally.

"I believe we will get out of it and this club will be in the Premier League next season. I'm expecting them to improve to win enough games."