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Garry Hill has been sacked by Ebbsfleet after less than a year in charge at Stonebridge Road.
Hill replaced Daryl McMahon at the start of November 2018 but the Fleet sit bottom of the National League this season after 16 games.
VOTE: Were Ebbsfleet right to sack Garry Hill?
Ebbsfleet have taken just 10 points so far, with only two wins to their name - at home to Barnet and away to Boreham Wood.
Speaking after Tuesday's 4-2 home defeat to Torquay, Hill said: "How long do a football club put up with it from a manager’s point of view?
"How long does a manager put up with it to a limit from a players’ point of view?
"There’s a lot of good players here but I can’t govern the defending.
"All I can do is, it’s like a car engine really. You have to take some of the parts out and put other parts in there and hope that sorts the problem out.
"I hope I get that opportunity but I understand football. I’ve been around long enough and at the end of the day you have a situation where you have to keep working at it.
"Everyone knows I believe in the players but it has come to the stage now where I have to believe in a new line of defence, or defending duties, at the football club.
"There’s no doubt about that, it’s very frustrating."
Fleet have endured a troubled campaign on the back of a spell when the club failed to pay its players on time. That has made it difficult to attract players to Stonebridge Road this season.
Hill dropped popular keeper Nathan Ashmore in August and drafted in Jordan Holmes between the sticks while Ashmore has now linked up with Boreham Wood.
Sean Shields made a season-long loan move to Notts County and there have been a number of new faces in recent weeks with the likes of Andre Blackman, Tomi Adeloye, Josh Payne and Tyler Cordner all making the move to Stonebridge Road.
Only last week, Fleet replaced assistant manager Ian Hendon was first-team coach Kevin Watson, who left the no.2 role at Hungerford to join Hill's management team.
Ebbsfleet are at home to Maidenhead - who have gone eight games without a win - in the National League on Saturday. Watson will take charge for that game.
Fleet managing director Dave Archer said, “I worked very closely with Garry over the past year and I know he put his heart and soul into the job he was tasked with.
"I have come to regard him as a close friend and I wish him all the very best for the future.”
