Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has told The Times that Aitor Karanka was not sacked but rather "sacrificed himself" in order to give the club the best chance of Premier League survival.
Boro, 19th in the table with 11 games to go having scored the least goals in the division, parted company with Karanka on Thursday, but Gibson has said that following extensive discussions with Karanka a decision was made that a fresh approach was needed.
"I've had a lot of discussions with Aitor since the weekend," Gibson said. "We agreed that a different approach is required. Aitor is tired, he has worked so hard for our football club over the last three and a half years and the tension surrounding the end of last season would have taken its toll on anyone. Then we had a very busy summer.
"He was working his socks off trying to bring players in and he hasn't really had a break since the minute he walked through the door. What we concluded -- he and I -- was that he perhaps wasn't the guy at this point in time to deliver that change.
"I know people are cynical when you say that a decision was mutual, but he wasn't sacked. He sacrificed himself. He's in a good frame of mind. I think he's relieved. He has been enormous for our club. He has progressed us and he will have learnt an enormous amount from this experience. He's got a wonderful future in football -- I really think that."
First-team coach Steve Agnew has been placed in temporary charge of Middlesbrough for the game against Manchester United on Sunday, and Gibson wants to give him a chance to earn the job on a permanent basis.
"I've known Steve a long time," Gibson said "He's a very good coach and a very good No. 2. There's more to him than people know and a bit more steel. Steve could be a surprise No. 1. That may disappoint those people who want glamour and somebody to come in ready-made, a sexy name, but that's not what we need at this point.
"I want to find out about Steve. My phone hasn't stopped. I've had agents offering me obscure individuals and I've had some surprises too; at the moment Steve is going to get all the support we can give him."
Guus Hiddink and Nigel Pearson are among the names linked to the job, but when asked if Boro had anyone in mind, Gibson said: "Yes, Steve Agnew. He's more than a safe pair of hands."