Stoke City next manager news LIVE: Alex Neil ‘done’ as Sunderland release statement

What’s this week been like?

Holden: “The beginning of the week was difficult on the back of a poor result last weekend. We were obviously right into preparing the team and rectifying some of the things that we didn’t quite get right.

“It was pretty much out of the blue yesterday morning, Thursday morning. I went into see Michael first thing and he told me John had been in touch and the club was going to make a change.

“It was a big surprise, I have to say. But quickly you have to gather your thoughts. One thing life has taught me is that you have to stay in control of your emotions, particularly in pressure moments, and to try to stay as clear as you can in your mind.

“Immediately John spoke to me and asked me to take the team temporarily. My job at that time is then give the care and support to people around the club. Michael’s effectively brought nearly every member of staff, the majority of players to the club and relationships have been built.

“If something like this happens after a game you might have the Sunday for everybody to take a breath and come in on the Monday but that wasn’t the case, we were straight into an important training session.

“We addressed the players, myself and Rory and John O’Shea and the rest of the staff, and basically said exactly what I just said there. There are a lot of players and staff who have unfortunately been through this before in their careers. I’ve been through it many times. It is the game of football that we all sign up for.

“There are some younger players and some younger members of staff who have not been through all this and it immediately opens up grey areas. We have to make sure we get the care and support and make things as clear as we can. Any information I get from John Coates will go straight through to players and staff. It’s important that communcation lines are good at the moment with lots of rumours.

“What we’re effectively in charge of is preparing a team to go and win a game of football. That’s what we’re focused on.”