Aston Villa club director Charles Krulak has dismissed Paul Lambert's claims that Villa owner Randy Lerner had not invested in the club's playing squad as 'hogwash'.

The former Norwich City manager was sacked by the Premier League club on Wednesday night after his team had slipped into the relegation zone following a 2-0 loss at Hull City.

Krulak, a 72-year-old former US Army general, says the Scot was given money to spend but produced a team that was not 'fun to watch'.

'Paul was just not bringing the team together,' Krulak told national newspaper the Sun.

Lambert, 45, released a statement through the League Managers' Association following his dismissal which described managing Villa club as 'the toughest challenge' of his career.

The former Celtic midfielder said: 'My initial remit was to conduct a massive overhaul of the playing squad, lower the overall wage structure of the playing staff and achieve this whilst keeping the club in the Barclays Premier League.

'There was also a concerted effort to purchase and develop younger players who would provide a solid footing for the football club to move forward and enhance the value of the playing squad in the future.

'When I came on board the club's owner, Randy Lerner, warned me that I was embarking on the toughest challenge of my working life and he was not wrong.'

Lambert gained legend status at Carrow Road after guiding the club from League One to the Premier League with successive promotions.

He left Carrow Road in the summer of 2012 after the Canaries had finished 12th in the top flight, sparking an acrimonious compensations battle between City and Villa.

Two 15th-place finishes followed in Lambert's two seasons in charge at Villa Park, both just five points clear of relegation, but midway through his third season Villa had managed just 12 goals in 25 games – the lowest in Premier League history.

'Randy was loathe to remove a manager mid-campaign,' said Krulak. 'But there was this intensely strong feeling, not least from the players and fans, that Villa should be doing a lot better.

'Randy wants a team that – win, lose or draw – is fun to watch. But the opposite was true.

'This idea that Randy had not put money into the club and that Paul's hands were tied is simply not true. It's hogwash.'

Krulak also claimed the club's net spend during Lambert's two-and-a-half-year tenure was the highest of any manager employed by Lerner.

Lambert finished his reign with a win percentage of 24.75pc in the league, winning 25 of his 101 matches, scoring 98 goals and conceding 164.

First-team coach Scott Marshall and goalkeeping coach Andy Marshall, who played for the Canaries, have now been put in temporary charge with 13 league matches remaining.

Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood and United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann are among the favourites for the job with bookmakers.