Football pundits had a lot to discuss on Sunday. Brendan Rodgers was sacked after Liverpool’s limp draw at Everton and then Manchester United were eviscerated by an Arsenal team that looked as potent as any side Arsène Wenger has produced in his 19 years at the club.

FC Ilves’ English manager Keith Armstrong picked a good day to provide expert analysis on the Finnish television channel MTV Sport. It’s just a pity that his bosses expected him to be somewhere else: on the sidelines, taking charge of his team at they played an important league match against SJK.

Armstrong has done an impressive job at Ilves this season. They were only granted a place in the top division when another club went bust, but the three-times Finnish manager of the year has all-but guided them to safety with three games to go. Not that the club were impressed by his performance on Sunday, which apparently came as a “complete surprise” to their CEO.

The inevitable response to Armstrong’s no-show came on Monday, when the club thanked him for his “excellent work” and announced that he was being sacked. “A common path is no longer found in the future,” declared the poetic statement on their website.

The club have appointed Marco Baruffato as caretaker manager for their next three fixtures and stated their intention to finish the campaign in sixth place. But Armstrong is not going quietly. He believes he has been treated unfairly and is threatening the club with legal action. Armstrong says “the matter isn’t as clear cut as portrayed in the public”.

He contests that his assistant coach, captain and players knew that he would not be attending the match on Sunday. Armstrong also believes the club should have amended his contract when they were promoted as their schedule has clashed with his TV work and left him out of pocket. “He was not financially compensated for loss of TV work,” said a statement from his lawyer. “He took over a first division club who were unexpectedly promoted but his contract hasn’t changed. He regrets the negative publicity this has attracted to Ilves, the league and Finnish football.”

Ilves may decide to forgive Armstrong for his away day on Sunday now that he has threatened legal action, but the manner of his departure will not have harmed his TV career. Last Sunday’s drama – in England and Finland – is only going to bring in more viewers.

With thanks to Rich Nelson of Escape to Suomi