Former Birmingham manager Garry Monk has questioned the character of his replacement, and old assistant, Pep Clotet - saying "some choose to pursue their own opportunities in the worst possible way".
Now in charge of Sheffield Wednesday, Monk will meet his old colleague on the touchline when his side welcome Birmingham in the Championship on Wednesday night - live on Sky Sports Football - but there will be no pleasantries exchanged.
"I'm not sure what his title is," Monk said of Clotet, the Birmingham caretaker head coach. "But I don't speak with him."
Monk's shock dismissal from Birmingham in the summer came after a row with the board over the transfer policy.
The former Swansea, Leeds and Middlesbrough boss had guided the Blues to safety despite a deduction of nine points for a breach of the Football League's profitability and sustainability rules.
Clotet was immediately put in charge, despite most of Monk's backroom staff leaving St Andrew's.
James Beattie remains a Birmingham first-team coach but has not been seen in Clotet's dugout in recent months.
"What is most important to me when I'm assembling the staff around me is to give them an opportunity and show them complete trust," Monk said, when asked about Clotet. "You hope they repay that trust with hard work and loyalty.
"Sadly not everyone has those values in their character.
"Some choose to pursue their own opportunities in the worst possible way.
"But the most important thing for me is you live and you learn.
"I didn't listen to a lot of people within football circles who warned me about the type of character he is.
"But that's an error in judgement from myself. It's a mistake I won't be making again in the future."
Speaking before Monk's press conference, Clotet had said Birmingham would not be treating the fixture differently to any other match.
"As far as I am concerned there is no issue between the two of us, of course, it's football, it's three points, that's the only thing that is in contention," he said.
'It could have been a different story for the Blues'
Monk took over Birmingham in March 2018 with the club in 22nd position and facing relegation to League One, but won five of his first 10 matches in charge to steer the club away from trouble.
Despite the points deduction in his first full season in charge, Birmingham still finished 12 points clear of the relegation zone before he was sacked.
"I have nothing but good memories," Monk told Sky Sports News.
"When you consider I walked into a club in a deep relegation battle and everyone felt it was doom and gloom - there was a reality we were going down to League One.
"It could have been a totally different story for the club. Even through the difficult moments the players and the fanbase gave me so much. It was a joy to be at that club."