SACKED Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna ran home from Metricon Stadium to “blow off some steam’’, just hours after being run out of the Suns amid fears of a player revolt.

Dual premiership coach Mark Thompson is now the red-hot favourite to replace McKenna.

Thompson was reportedly spotted inspecting the facilities at Carrara last week but Suns chairman John Witheriff emphatically denied the claim.

Thompson has made no secret that he is interested in the plum post with a third party recently making contact with the former Geelong and Essendon mentor about the possibility of heading to the tourist strip.

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In his final press conference, McKenna denied he had lost the playing group, but admitted he felt like a dead man walking during the two-week review into the club’s football operations.

But poor man management, poor communication, a lack of tactical nous on game day, and a broadbrush approach to development cost him the dressing room and ultimately, his job.

He also lost support among key administrative and football staff, sealing his fate.

The general belief was that he was not the man to take the club to the next level, and another season at the helm would waste a prime opportunity.

Player managers had also been agitating about McKenna for some time.

media_camera Guy McKenna has been given his marching orders by the Suns.

Former Suns player Jared Brennan had a tumultuous relationship with McKenna in his three years at the club and savaged him on Twitter, summarising some of the frustration felt by the players at Carrara.

“So I just heard bluey got the flick ... damn, a year late!!!,’’ Brennan wrote.

“In all seriousness though, feel for the players that didn’t get the chance to develop and excel because of his stubbornness and one minded ways.’’

Witheriff said the process to select the new senior coach would be announced in the coming days and denied the club had been in contact with Thompson.

“I haven’t spoken to Bomber Thompson. There has been no one from the Gold Coast Suns speak to Bomber Thompson. Contrary to what some media outlets are writing, Bomber Thompson hasn’t been to the Gold Coast and hasn’t visited our club,’’ Witheriff said.

So I just heard bluey got the flick....damn, a year late!!! In all seriousness though, 1/2 — Jared Brennan (@JJ_Brennan) October 1, 2014

feel for the players that didn't get the chance to develop and excel because of his stubbornness and one minded ways. 2/2 — Jared Brennan (@JJ_Brennan) October 1, 2014

McKenna conceded that the season-ending injury to captain Gary Ablett was a “fork in the road’’ for him, but even a finals appearance might not have been enough to save him.

“I’m not a fool, but ultimately I’m certainly the supreme optimist,’’ McKenna said.

“It wasn’t a complete shock. It wasn’t though it took me out of the blue.

“Footy is a brutal industry. I get that.

media_camera Mark Thompson is believed to be the frontrunner for the Suns’ coaching job. Picture: Michael Klein

“In the board and the chairman’s view, I’m not that person to take us forward. I’m certainly disappointed with that result of course, because I think I am. Unfortunately, I don’t get an opportunity to prove the board wrong.

“It’s been a privilege to have coached this club for six years … I’ll be looking on with great pride next season knowing that I had some part to play in the growth and development of the boys.

“I think the playing group is ready to certainly explode into the AFL like we started to show early part of this season.’’

McKenna won 24 games in 88 outings as senior coach with the Suns.

The Suns lost 10 of their last 13 games in 2014, including six of the last seven without Ablett.