Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reveals "reason" why Bristol Rovers sacked Inigo Calderon | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has given his reaction to Bristol Rovers' decision to sack head coach Inigo Calderon following their relegation to League Two.

Pundit Lee Hendrie believes it was inevitable that Bristol Rovers would sack head coach Inigo Calderon after their relegation to League Two.

Calderon left his role as the manager of Brighton & Hove Albion's Under-18 side to replace Matt Taylor at Bristol Rovers in December, signing a two-and-a-half year contract at the Memorial Stadium, and it was his first senior managerial role.

The 43-year-old made an inconsistent start to his tenure, but there were signs that he was beginning to turn the club's fortunes around, and after a 3-2 home win over play-off chasing Bolton Wanderers in mid-March, the Gas sat nine points clear of the League One relegation zone.

However, that would prove to be Calderon's last victory as Rovers boss as his side then went on a horror run of form, picking up just one point from their final 10 games of the season, and their relegation was confirmed with one game remaining.

Speaking last week, Calderon admitted that he felt like "a big part of the relegation", and while he conceded that the decision over his future was "not an easy one" for the board, he insisted that he was keen to remain in charge next season as "the business hasn't been done".

However, less than 24 hours after the 4-1 defeat at Blackpool on the final day, Calderon's dismissal was confirmed on Sunday morning, and he departs after winning just six of his 26 games in charge, drawing three and losing 17.

Lee Hendrie on Inigo Calderon's Bristol Rovers departure

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said that while he believes managers should generally be given time, Calderon's departure from Bristol Rovers was always likely after their relegation.

"Do I think sacking Inigo Calderon was the right call? I think it was inevitable," Hendrie said.

"If you're a football club that have turned a corner, and then you find yourself in a relegation fight and missing out on staying on League One, I think there is always a call at teams that get relegated for a new idea and something that can transform them and give them something different for next season.

"I'm not one for sacking managers, I think they should be given a longer opportunity, but there was obviously different ideas.

"When you look at League One and League Two, as you drift down, it gets tougher to get yourself back promoted, so I think that's the reason why they've made that call."

Bristol Rovers may live to regret Inigo Calderon decision

Given the dismal late-season collapse that saw Bristol Rovers relegated to League Two, Hendrie is right that there was always a strong possibility that Calderon would depart.

However, the early stages of Calderon's tenure were largely positive, with many crediting him for restoring the connection between the supporters and the team, and while the form towards the end of the season was unacceptable, it could be argued that he deserved the chance to lead the rebuild at the club this summer.

The Gas would have known that appointing a coach whose only previous managerial experience was at Under-18 level was a big risk, particularly while they were in a battle for survival, and he was not working in the most stable of environments, so it would be harsh to lay all the blame for the relegation at his door.

If Rovers bring in an experienced manager and win promotion from League Two next season, the failed Calderon experiment will quickly be forgotten, but there may be some disappointment among the fan base that the club have decided to abandon the long-term project they started with the Spaniard.