SACKED Melbourne chief executive Paul McNamee knew he was on borrowed time the moment Jim Stynes took over as club chairman.

McNamee, a former tennis star and high-profile sports administrator, yesterday confirmed he had been dumped by Stynes and his new board, less than four months after he was appointed in March. The man he initially beat for the job, Geelong's chief operating officer Stuart Fox, is now seen as the frontrunner to replace him.

Outgoing Fremantle chief executive Cameron Schwab, who previously held administrative roles at Melbourne, is also a contender, although Stynes said the selection process would be open to a wide field. McNamee said the writing had been on the wall since Stynes replaced Paul Gardner last month.

"I think there was probably a disconnect from the moment the new team came in," McNamee said. "I think they had a certain direction and it seems that was at odds as far as I was concerned.

"At the end of the day, they're the board, they get to choose, so it's disappointing."

Stynes was part of a panel that helped select McNamee. But he admitted yesterday he was unhappy at being cut out of the final part of that process, when the choice was made between McNamee and Fox.

AAP