Sunderland player-coach Niall Quinn has ruled himself out of taking over from sacked Sundeland manager Peter Reid on a permanent basis.
The Irishman, who has been placed in charge at the Stadium of Light temporarily, will instead concentrate on getting his team-mates in the right frame of mind for the next match at home to West Ham.
Quinn was quick to take on the responsibility placed on him and fellow coach Ricky Sbragia by chairman Bob Murray who dismissed Reid's backroom staff during yesterday's clear-out at the Wearside club.
But he was also quick to point out he had no designs on taking over from Reid full-time.
"There's nothing wonderful or amazing about that, I just want to get the lads physically and mentally prepared," Quinn told BBC Radio. "There is going to be a new era at the football club. I understand we will have a new manager before the West Ham game."
But despite his determination to get over the shock as quickly as possible Quinn admitted Reid's departure had come as a surprise. He said: "The whole club's devastated. We're feeling very sombre at the moment."
Quinn also admitted the players had to take some of the responsibility for Reid's sacking.
"Deep down we know we are the ones responsible.
"We are getting everyone mentally toned up for when the new regime takes over. We've just been charged with making sure they are as right as possible. As soon as we've got them running around and scoring goals in training it's different, but it's still a very sombre atmosphere here."
Quinn went on to pay tribute to the debt he owed to Reid who was also his manager at former club Manchester City.
"He's given us careers, given us the opportunity to keep this club up where it belongs. We've let him down. He was a very important part of our lives.
"A lot of bad things have happened to me in football. The two things that stand out was Peter Reid being sacked at Manchester City and Peter Reid being sacked at Sunderland. Peter Reid has been very good for my career."