Did I do all that I could? It had been a long time since I asked myself that question but, unfortunately, I had to ask it again this week.

One of the worst feelings in football is when your manager loses his job. It happened a few times earlier in my career, including when Graham Taylor was removed at Aston Villa and Paul Sturrock was dismissed by Southampton.

Graham had great belief in me and was the man who gave me my Premier League debut. When they lost their jobs, it left me wondering if I could have done more to help.

Mark Hughes was sacked as Stoke City manager following their FA Cup defeat at Coventry

It had been a long time since I'd experienced those emotions at a club but, sadly, here we are again.

Mark Hughes became the seventh Premier League manager — and the 20th in all — to lose his job this season after our FA Cup tie at Coventry. There is no getting away from the fact we have been in a bad run and the owners felt they needed to make a change.

The first I knew about it was on Saturday night. My Dad called when I was on the way back home from Coventry and told me it was on the news. We hadn't seen Mark since he had been in the dressing room at the Ricoh Arena and, to put it bluntly, told us exactly what he thought about us.

So that's when the questions started. Have you worked hard enough and run to your maximum in every game? Have you put your body in the way of things? Have you done all the things that should be expected? Everyone can have bad games but are you putting it in?

I'm confident I can look in the mirror and say I have done everything possible. I hope other players here have asked themselves the same questions. We had some good times under Mark.

We finished ninth three times on the spin and, for a club like this, that is a good achievement. But, for whatever reason, the last two years have seen things take a turn for the worse. We reached the lowest point last Saturday.

Hughes was dismissed after almost five years in the job - and three ninth-placed finishes

I'd said in previous columns how the club and the city needed a good cup run. I was really trying to tee us up for a good cup run, as I knew how much it would mean to the fans if we were able to get there.

Winning the FA Cup — how good would that be? But there we were sitting in a silent dressing room after losing to a team from League Two.

Good luck to Coventry, they deserved it. You could say we were all bitterly disappointed but I think the best word to use is 'embarrassed', really.

It never used to be like this. We had an identity. In previous seasons, when we faced 'must win' games, we tended to win them but the last three that were given that title — Newcastle and West Ham at home, Coventry in the Cup — all ended in defeats. The writing was on the wall.

The sad thing is we had done well under Mark. It has always felt like we are going in the right direction, step by step. After the ninth-place finishes, we have tried to get up to the next level but, for whatever reason, it has proven unobtainable and we have fallen away.

I'm always quite upbeat and never get too down about things but I'd say this season has affected me more than any other. The way that results have gone, particularly the two Cup defeats to Coventry and Bristol City and the frustration of knowing we should be so much higher.

Peter Crouch and Hughes pictured shaking hands during happier times back in 2014

When that culminates in the manager being sacked, that is why it has been so hard to take and it has made for a really difficult week.

You have to say 'fair play' to Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Russell, who have taken over. It must be hard for Eddie, having worked with Mark and Mark Bowen.

He's basically just waiting for someone else to come in. But he has been brilliant, his coaching has been superb, his enthusiasm and professionalism. If he has to take the team against Manchester United on Monday, I'm sure we will be organised and ready.

And we have to be. We shouldn't be fighting relegation but that is what is happening. I said at the start of last season we should always be around the top 10.

But this season? Outside the top six, any club can get dragged into the fight and that is where we are.

The positive we have to take is that a couple of wins can send you shooting up the table and Everton are an example of how you can get out of trouble with a few unbeaten games.

We have got to be men and stand up to be counted. It will happen. It has to happen.

Eddie Niedzwiecki (middle) has taken temporary charge of Stoke on a caretaker basis

I'D HATE FOR THE SPECTACLE OF FOOTBALL TO BE RUINED BY TECHNOLOGY

There was a time I tried to get into American Football but I couldn't. It was the breaks in play, all the time. Whistles going here, there and everywhere — constant stoppages.

I can't watch it now because when you try, it's like they're standing still, waiting for something to happen. And that's why I have concerns about the video referee, which has been trialled twice this week.

It's a great idea, but the reason our game is so good is because things go on all the time. Even if you don't have eyes on the ball, you can look at the defensive shape of a team or see if a manager is kicking off.

The VAR technology pitchside at Stamford Bridge ahead of Carabao Cup semi-final at Chelsea

There have been some awful refereeing decisions lately and we need them eradicated. But I'm torn.

I'm all for progress and if the answers from the sidelines we get are really sharp, that's great. If it is only like waiting for the referee to go over to a linesman, there won't be anything wrong.

But if it is any longer? If everyone has to stop and wait? I'm not sure.

It's awful when you are on the end of a poor call but hasn't human error been part of the game for years and fuelled countless debates down the pub? I'd hate for the spectacle of football to be ruined by technology

PARKER AND GERRARD HAVE THE DRIVE TO BECOME TOP COACHES

It was great to see a picture of two old friends this week, standing on the touchline and smiling away but I have to say Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard also gave me a jolt!

Players who I played with are now managers! How did that happen? But both of them were always going to go into coaching. They just have too much to give back to the game. Take Scotty, who I've known for years.

I remember back in the day when he was at Charlton and did that McDonald's advert. We are the same age and, when we were kids, everyone was always going to be 'the one' who got to the top. I'm sure it was the same for Stevie in Liverpool.

Former England colleagues Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard catch up ahead of the Tottenham vs Liverpool Under-18 Premier League match this week

Scotty changed his game to be this combative midfielder. He was always a captain, a leader. You knew he would make a good manager and the same was true of Stevie.

I read an interview he gave at Christmas, in which he talked about how stressful management is and how it has aged him two years in six months.

To be honest, I think that's why I'm hanging on as a player as much as I can! Management interests me but nothing beats playing.

To see the two of them smiling, two top-quality lads, shows they seem to enjoying it so far. I'm delighted for them both and it's good to see them at good clubs, learning from top managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp.

Parker and Gerrard in their playing days pictured in Liverpool's match with Charlton in 2003

COUTINHO AND LIVERPOOL ARE CLASS ACTS

One transfer has dominated the last seven days, and the way Philippe Coutinho's move to Barcelona was handled by Liverpool and the player was first class.

These days you see players feigning injuries, throwing their toys out of the pram and saying: 'I'll never play for this club again.' It was clear Liverpool had some work to do because he would have been angry about not going in the summer.

But once he got his head around that, you only had to watch him — he gave everything he could for Liverpool.

Philippe Coutinho is presented as a Barcelona player on Monday after his £145m move

I know it would have been better for them had he gone in the summer but I think it shows a bit of class the way they let him go now.

In our dressing room, Glen Johnson and Joe Allen — who spent time with Coutinho at Anfield — were adamant he deserved the move. They raved about him, saying what a great lad he is but, above all, he is a top-class player.

I've played against him a few times and he is one of those midfielders who can slow the game down to the pace they want to play at. Total calmness on the ball. He can score and create and I'm certain he will go to a different level at Barcelona.

NOBODY HAS TAKEN ON GUARDIOLA QUITE LIKE BRISTOL CITY!

Three weeks ago I wrote a column about Bristol City on the back of their exploits against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.

They had beaten us at Ashton Gate earlier in the season and I felt they were a Premier League team playing in the Championship.

I was adamant they had a chance in the semi-final against Manchester City, but it's fair to say plenty of people wanted to disagree! So when it was 1-0 at half-time to Bristol City at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, I had a little smile to myself.

Bristol City might still fall short in their bid to get to Wembley but we can say for certain that no Premier League team has gone to the Etihad this season and given it a go like Bristol City. They should be proud of themselves.

Bristol City players celebrate Bobby Reid's penalty in the EFL Cup semi-final at Man City

There were contrasting emotions at the close after City won 2-1, but the tie remains undecided