FORMER Bridport manager Edgar Marcu admitted getting the sack came as “a massive surprise”.

Romanian coach Marcu was tasked with rebuilding the side after a disastrous 2021/22 season in which the Bees lost 34 of 36 league games with a goal difference of minus 168.

Following relegation to the South West Peninsula League Premier East, Bridport looked to have stamped out the trend of conceding sixes and sevens, or more.

Just six goals were shipped in the opening four games, complete with a first clean sheet for 48 matches in the 0-0 draw with Honiton.

READ MORE: Bridport sack boss Edgar Marcu after seven games

However, results tailed off as 16 goals were let in during the past three contests, leaving Bridport with the decision to axe their manager after no victories in seven matches.

And Marcu, on holiday when relieved of his duties, told Echosport how sudden the decision was.

He said: “They’ve sacked me, I’ve had a phone call from the chairman (Adrian Scadding).

“It was a massive surprise but it was because of the results, obviously.”

Asked if he felt he had been given enough time to turn fortunes around, Marcu replied: “No, I haven’t – but that’s football.

“I have to say: ‘Thank you for the opportunity’ to Bridport. I really believed we just started to click, but there wasn’t enough time.

“That’s the football world, they wanted everything straight away. I didn’t expect the phone call, I was just buzzing to come back.

“I have to be grateful for this small opportunity. They’ll have to move forward with a different manager and I can just say thank you for the experience.

“I have to admit while I’ve been there they’ve been supportive. Now I have to look when a door closes, another will open.

“I’ll try to look for my new adventure in football which I hope will be a step forward. I have to take the positives. They decided to move on and I have to respect that.”

He added: “It is surprising because I built myself that team and I wanted to make Bridport successful.

“I do believe that being bottom of the table, that wouldn’t stay like that. The winning was supposed to come very soon.”

Marcu also took the time to give his own message to the players and staff at Bridport.

He said: “I just wanted to say that I’m really proud of what I’ve done with Jim (Lukosius, former assistant).

“I’m really proud I stuck to my footballing philosophy and I wanted to get that team an identity. This is something I achieved.

“We didn’t play football in an easy way, to play long. I wanted to win in a different way.

“Even when we played Weymouth, we played the same way, we stuck to the philosophy.

“I would also like to thank all of the players for doing their best during my time at Bridport as well.

“Many thanks to everyone involved at Bridport.”

Marcu is this week due to begin work on his UEFA B licence with the Welsh FA, going down the same route with the FAW as current Premier League managers Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira, plus ex-Wales boss Chris Coleman.

Back at Bridport, the Bees are expected to appoint reserves boss Chris Herbst as interim manager for the club’s next two games, with assistance from captain Dan Baggs and striker Mike Calverley.

This covers the period before chairman Scadding, who sacked Marcu hours before taking his own holiday, returns from his break.

Scadding is then expected to begin his search for a seventh manager since 2019.

Bridport are due to visit Sidmouth Town in league action on Wednesday (7.30pm) before hosting Dartmouth on Saturday (3pm).