Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has paid tribute to former manager Tony Pulis.
Pulis left Stoke this week.
"The last seven years have been some of the best in our long history and I would like to thank Tony for his huge contribution in this," Coates said in a statement.
"I personally regard him as a great friend and will hugely miss working with him.
"We will now begin the difficult task of searching for a successor to Tony.
"This will be done in private and the club will make no further statement in respect of this search until an appointment is made."