Stade Francais' unceremonious sacking of Ewen McKenzie and Christophe Dominici is beginning to become clearer as the various involved parties give their centimes' worth.

The primary reason of poor results holds water - but only just, given the new season is a mere five games old - but it now appears there were more fundamental problems that needed addressing.

McKenzie has spoken openly this week of there being "philosophical" difference between himself and club owner Max Guazzini, while the latter has hardly gone out of his way to counter further claims of underlying problems between coach and players. It has further emerged that new head coach Jacques Delmas was first contacted about the job after Stade Francais' 35-40 home defeat by Montauban 10 days ago.

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McKenzie has spoken of how he would have brought in his own team of back-up staff had he done things again, and how he and assistant Dominici had to talk through "intermedairies" for much of last season.

"It's obviously a big disappointment," reflected McKenzie after Wednesday's decision. "I felt the team was improving and that results would soon follow, but I did not have enough time. That is part of the job and I understand. When results aren't there then it is the coach who is responsible," he told rugbyrama.

"I had several conversations with Max on Monday and again on Wednesday morning, but it's true that it felt like something was happening after the defeat against Montauban", said the former Warratahs coach.

"I've never worked so hard for a team. I did the best I could but it wasn't good enough. Stade Francais is a unique club and it doesn't have the same obligations as other teams - the marketing around the team is as important as its results," he said markedly. "But I didn't question this. I loved this idea, this new culture, I just failed to get the results and therefore paid the price."

McKenzie said he still believed the squad had "great potential" but admitted that he may not have been the right man for the job. "Perhaps it was the right decision to make a change," he reflected.

"It is obvious there was a problem in the philosophy between the club and myself. For example, I never understood why they closed training to the media when they put so much emphasis on marketing the team," he questioned.

"I tried to speak French, but of course I couldn't be as accurate speaking French as I could if I gave my instructions in English. But I made the effort because I thought it was important. John Connolly [who coached Stade previously] spoke English in his time and it cost him his job, so I tried to do the opposite. But it didn't work. I think my message was no longer getting through to certain players, but that's the case in all teams.

"If I could do one thing differently I would want the club to have adapted to my method. When I arrived I came alone, except for Grant Duthie, and I took the club as it was and decided to make do with all those already in place. I'm not questioning their competence but perhaps if I did it again I would bring my own team in so that we were all going in the same direction," he concluded.

In a separate interview with heavensgame.com McKenzie again spoke of underlying faults. "The owner has decided he wants a new direction. We talked long and hard, we've tried to make changes and we've put everything into it," he said. "But the reality is he's entitled to make a call and he's done that, as frustrating as it is, because I don't think we are far away."

Elsewhere, he was quoted in the Australian press further explaining his sacking. "As he [Guazzini] said to me, you can't sack the players. You send messages to lots of people by having a public execution, simple as that. I understand that concept, it's a tool and I've used it. It's not nice to be on the end of it, but it doesn't mean you are the sole culprit."

Whether he feels Dominici should shoulder the blame remains conjecture, but clearly their partnership wasn't as smooth as it could have been. "It was complicated in our first season but we started to work in harmony this season. Last year there too many intermediaries between us and that added to the confusion. This year was easier, but the results didn't come," said McKenzie.

The deposed coach plans to stay in France for a week to tidy up loose ends before heading back to Australia to be with his family. He said he won't coach again this season, but is being tipped to head up Melbourne's Super 15 franchise, if that comes through.

Before that he plans a round of talks with certain Stade Francais players. "I do not want to be intrusive but there are players that I have brought to Paris and I feel sorry for them," he said.

England trio James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Ollie Phillips are three of those, as is former Australian rugby league star Mark Gasnier, who has already been attracting the vultures.

Gasnier's two-year contract ends at Stade this summer and the highly-rated centre could be tempted by a return home in an effort to push his case for World Cup inclusion in 2011. New South Wales and Queensland have already spoken of their interest in Gasnier, while ex-Wallaby captain described him as "a marquee player".

Gasnier's manager George Mimis refused to be drawn on his clients' future, saying the player would look at all possibilities "in the next two to three months".

As for Haskell, he wasn't even in Paris when the coup was executed, owing to prior arrangements back in London. "I played eight games for Stade Francais. I have been finding my feet, trying to impress the coaches - and now I have two new coaches who only speak French. It is another challenge," he told PA. "Who would have thought I would turn up at a new club and the coach would be sacked after five games?"

As for Delmas, he knows that not only must he now produce sporting, but also marketing results. He has until the end of the current season to so after Stade manager Alain Elias put him forward to Guazzini as a viable alternative to McKenzie.

Delmas said his immediate priorities were get the basics right. "Afterwards we will bring our personal touch to the game," he added.

"What we need to do is find a balance. We knew that Stade Francais' game was based on efficiency but when they tried to evolve their style weaknesses were created elsewhere. I am well placed to know this because this is what happened with me at Biarritz Olympique," added Delmas.

"There is a challenge ahead and it is exciting. When Max called us there wasn't much hesitation. There is work to be done, but for all the players and coaches there is a single goal - to finish in the top six," he said.

Didier Faugeron, his assistant coach, added: "When Stade Francais call you listen".

Guazzini, for his part, has made it clear the new duo must impress to get contract extensions: "We will review the situation in June and if it works well and the results are satisfactory then we will consider their future," he confirmed.

So it seems that, ultimately, it was more than mere results which did for McKenzie. "Philosophically we have been running in parallel and trying to get that to merge, but it hasn't really happened," explained the Australian.

Perhaps the last words should be left to Guazzini, the club's multi-millionaire owner with a penchant for the flamboyant. "It is the right key in the right lock," he said of Delmas' appointment. "If you have a diamond key and a gold lock it does not open the door."

Is that a coded message to imply Delmas will be more malleable than McKenzie? Only time will tell...