Chris Hughton admits he still doesn't know why he was sacked by Newcastle United.
Hughton was the first Premier League manager dismissed this season.
"There are lots of emotions you go through, particularly in the way I lost the job," he told the London Evening Standard. "But the best way is to keep your emotions to yourself. You know you can't change anything. But, would I rather be there than here? Yes, of course."
This is the same calm, measured air that he displayed in his playing days but it cannot completely hide the anguish the 52-year-old former Republic of Ireland international feels as he recalls that conversation with Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias.
"What he said was the club wanted to go in a different direction, and that was it," he adds. "He did not explain what the different direction was and I didn't ask. The conversation didn't even last two minutes. Did it come as a shock? Yes, it did.
"A few weeks before, there had been a big Sky story saying I was going to get sacked. My contract was until the end of this campaign and, at the beginning of the season, talks about a new contract broke down.
"So there were indicators but I wasn't expecting it, particularly when we were doing well. Our target was to stay in the top division and we were mid-table.
"There were some disappointing results. We had lost at home to Blackpool and to Stoke but we beat Sunderland 5-1, Aston Villa 6-0 and we won at Arsenal, Everton, and West Ham.
"That's what we expected, an up and down season. But, if your bosses don't want you or they don't rate you, they want to bring somebody else in, then it's only a matter of time. Only they know the reasons for sacking me."
