The resignation of Beppe Sannino will surprise many in English football, with Watford second in the Championship, but his departure had nothing to do with the club's results or player power.

The Watford Observer revealed Sannino's future was in serious doubt almost two weeks ago and highlighted that several senior players were unhappy with the Italian's style of management.

But it is believed the club had also been concerned by Sannino's reign for months and his future was considered in the summer.

The Hornets' hierarchy decided to stick with the 57-year-old and hoped things would improve during pre-season and early into the campaign.

The main reason why Sannino decided to leave the Hertfordshire side, before he was seemingly pushed, was because of fundamental differences in the way the club and the head coach wanted to work.

Sannino wanted to do it his way and believed extensive tactical sessions were required to improve the team.

We have been told these were deemed too long by many of the players, but more importantly, also the club, who believed the sessions lacked the intensity deemed necessary to sustain a promotion campaign throughout a tough Championship season.

The Watford players wear GPS devices in training and the data is assessed by not only the club's sports scientists but also centrally by the Pozzos' network of staff in Italy, who also record Udinese and Granada's work.

It enables the Pozzos to ensure the fitness levels are high enough and likewise the intensity.

Sannino is an 'old-school manager' in many respects and was keen to do things his way; stating the results showed his methods were working - he said as much after Saturday's 4-2 victory over Huddersfield Town.

Whereas the Pozzos have a clear model they like to follow at all of their clubs. A structure and a way to work which they try to insist on.

During their first year at Watford, the Pozzos made compromises regarding the level of tactical training and fitness work due to the success achieved by Gianfranco Zola, as the club narrowly missed out on automatic promotion and then reached the play-off final.

However, things ultimately went wrong as Zola went nine matches without a win and lost five in a row at home.

It appeared to reinforce the Pozzos' view that they want their model followed and we have been told that point was agreed by Sannino when he joined the club in December.

The Pozzos have tried to make sure everything is in place for Watford to challenge for promotion this season.

The training ground and stadium facilities have been improved, they have attempted to increase the players' level of fitness and training schedules since Zola's reign and they have assembled a more balanced squad with better knowledge of English football, compared with last season.

The model is to make sure everything is right behind the scenes regardless of whether the results are going well, because it is then easier to assess what the problems are when things start to go wrong.

For example, last season the head coach was changed and things did get better. But the club also recognised they needed to add more experience and Championship know-how to their squad.

The void left by players like Matej Vydra, Jonathan Hogg and John Eustace in 2013 were addressed this summer.

But the Sannino issues remained. The way he spoke to the players and behaved around the training ground was still of concern, and not only due to the language barrier.

There were arguments with some of the players towards the end of last season and issues have remained over the summer.

His aggressive manner and the way he spoke to the players concerned not only some of the squad but also the club.

The players have stayed united and the promotion challenge started positively, with four wins from their five Championship matches.

But player unrest and results were not the main reasons why Watford were planning to replace Sannino.

Sannino would not fundamentally change the way he worked. And neither would the Pozzos. Something had to give.

This was not a knee-jerk reaction from either party. It was considered.

Both had considered Sannino's future in recent months, and on several different occasions.

We have heard that Sannino told the players he was leaving the club after the Rotherham United match two weeks ago and the Leeds United game four days later. He subsequently decided to remain.

With a two-week international break, Watford appeared likely to act and Sannino almost certainly jumped before he was pushed.

There was a lot to like about Beppe Sannino from a journalist's and a supporter's point of view. And some would argue the results on the pitch suggest his methods were working.

But the Pozzos are spending a lot of money on the Hornets' promotion campaign and were unwilling to risk their Premier League hopes for another year by allowing Sannino to deviate from their model or by leaving him in charge.

Whether the club's logic is right or wrong will be down to individual opinion and, more importantly, may only be vindicated by Watford's finishing position come May 2.