Just like supporters, the players spent the early part of the week waiting to hear whether there was any news on a new manager.

Of course, we haven’t just been sitting on our hands. Keith Peacock and Damian Matthew have been working hard with the lads on the training pitch and there was also a reserve game against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday afternoon.

But it’s always strange when you don’t have a manager. Thankfully, we have a good spirit in the dressing room and that showed against Tottenham on Sunday, when we were beaten but produced a performance which at least gave our supporters something to cheer.

Luka Modric certainly proved to be the difference and I suppose it’s a compliment to us that Harry Redknapp, whom I know well after he signed me for West Ham once, felt he had to bring on the livewire playmaker to ensure his team of Premier League stars progressed to the next round.

The Spurs game came at the end of a difficult week after the departure of Phil Parkinson, with whom I worked closely as club captain.

I spoke to him after he left and he was full of dignity, philosophical about events and wished everyone all the best.

It’s a mark of the class of the man and he understands that when new owners come in and want to change things, that’s what they’ll do.

But I think it’s important to record what a good job Phil did at Charlton given the huge financial constraints he was working under and the fact he had to more or less completely rebuild his squad twice during his relatively short time in charge.

When we started pre-season training last summer, we only had half a dozen senior players and he had to work day and night throughout the summer to try to get in the players that he wanted, wheeling and dealing with predominantly free transfers.

Despite that, we’ve generally been near the top of the table and only missed out in the play-offs last season, so there were lots of disappointed players where they heard the news.

At the same time, everyone knows that we’ve got new owners and times change, so now it’s all about regrouping, focusing on Sheffield Wednesday this weekend, and ensuring we do our utmost to gain promotion.