Leeds United's on loan defender Sol Bamba has revealed there was a dressing room split by the controversial suspension of assistant boss Steve Thompson in an interview with Yahoo Eurosport. 

Thompson was effectively sacked on April 3, which lead to a run of five straight defeats, amidst speculation that owner Massimo Cellino was trying to undermine manager Neil Redfearn.

Bamba, who joined Leeds in January on loan from Italian club Palermo, said that while he was upset by the removal of Thompson, other players at the club did not feel the same way.

It appeared an apparent split in the dressing room between Redfearn's men and Cellino's, which was reinforced when six of the Italian signings withdrew from the clash with Charlton Athletic citing injury with less than 24 hours to the match.

Thompson was apparently told in a letter that he had 'underperformed'.

The Ivory Coast international, who had worked with Thompson at Leicester City, revealed that he and others were not happy at the timing of the suspension:

"I think, even the manager, some of the players are not happy with him (Cellino), that's football, you can't keep everyone happy, but I think everyone recognised what he (Thompson) was doing at the club and I was affected more than the other ones because I knew him from my time in Leicester, and I can't hide my feelings," he said.

"When some things are bad, I say. We had (Bamba and some other players) a few chats when he left, some of the players think it was the right decision and fine, and I think it wasn't."

It has been a season of controversy at Elland Road and Bamba gave further insight:

"I don't know what is going to happen with me. But it doesn't matter if I am staying or not. The club deserves better and I think the person in charge has to do better for our club and the supporters because they deserve better," the 30-year-old said.

"I want to stay at the club but not for the wrong reasons. If he (Cellino) decides not to keep me because of what I am saying, that's up to him, but I can't just hide my feelings, and when I think someone deserves something, I say it. If he thinks I shouldn't say it, that's up to him, I speak the truth."

And the defender believes Cellino should stick with Redfearn as manager:

"Everyone can see he (Redfearn) knows the club from bottom and he has brought some good young players into the first team and is a Leeds fan. I think there is no other man better for the job," said Bamba.