Rotherham United's players fail to get over the shock of Paul Warne's departure in limp 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic

Hopefully it is coming. Not long after Saturday’s final whistle at the New York Stadium, 250 miles away Exeter City manager Matt Taylor revealed he would decide in 24 hours if he wanted to be the Millers’ next permanent manager.

It seemed an odd pronouncement but hopefully the full picture quickly becomes clear. Rotherham half-confirmed the half-announcement, saying they had held "initial talks" with Exeter’s permission ("reluctantly", added the Grecians) but no mention of concrete offers. Hours earlier chairman Tony Stewart said Dean Holden was one of a number of candidates under consideration.

After thinking they had landed Mark Bonner days earlier, Rotherham have to be wary of not jumping the gun – they did not then – but a strangely subdued 2-0 loss to Wigan Athletic showed clarity is needed.

The next is match at home to Millwall on Wednesday. Tick, tick.

The supporters – supposed to the most emotional ones – did their jobs.

There were no 15-hour queues for Warne shrines, Holly and Phil did not blag director's box seats. Six years as manager is not the same longevity as 70 years as a queen, but in Football League terms, not far off.

As the players emerged, fans were asked to show their support for joint caretaker-managers Richard Wood and Lee Peltier and were perhaps even louder and more enthusiastic than expected.

As Peltier watched, fairly impassively, Wood played like Richard Wood. His early touches were cheered to the rafters, soon winning a header and getting into a running battle with Charlie Wyke.

"Why wouldn't they?" said Wood of the support. "It's their club. They'll get behind whoever is in charge and running it."

When the game got niggly, Wigan rolling out the gamesmanship – "we'd do exactly the same," admitted Wood – and referee Andy Davies riling everyone, the season’s second biggest crowd provided the usual blend of outrage and support.

Warne's name was never sung.

The players he probably would have picked ran as much and as hard as they would have under him in the shape he would have sent them out in but something was just not right.

"It just wasn't there," said Wood. "I wish I could put my finger on why."

He was into the post-match press conference before the shower but if there were culture shocks around the game – "I didn't realise how much work goes into it" – the 90 minutes were business as usual.

"You need people on the side who are experienced and know what they're talking about,” he explained.

"(But) Paul Warne said it plenty of times: I was like his manager on the pitch. I can speak to players and tell them what they should be doing straight away. That can be better than the gaffer screaming things on. Sometimes you can't hear."

Brooke Norton-Cuffy, recently signed on loan so perhaps less attached to Warne than most, was Rotherham's best player but fellow summer signings Cohen Bramall, Grant Hall and Conor Washington chipped into the malaise.

It took the hosts 20 minutes to get into the game, and by then Wigan led. When Wood failed to play Wyke offside Will Keane scored from the pull-back. Rotherham's three defeats this season have come in the three games they conceded first in.

Things could have been different had Cheidozie Ogbene, well released by Ollie Rathbone, found the net after 30 minutes but instead James McClean ended up there after heading the ball behind for a corner.

With Wigan content to sit back and break up the game after their 12th-minute goal, Rotherham had the majority of the possession but few other chances to speak of.

In the 83rd minute McClean broke on the counter-attack, burst through a Hall tackle and forced a brilliant Viktor Johansson save only for Tom Naylor to head in at the corner.

Maybe it will be easier on Wednesday. Saturday was Rotherham's last first match after Warne's departure.

"I'd like to think so," said Wood. "We can reflect on what went wrong and why. Maybe I can find out if everyone is okay with everything. We'll move on from there."

But much as Wood is loving his temporary job and happy to continue, the best way to move on is knowing who is going to be the manager for the rest of the season.

The sooner, the better so Warne's legacy is not squandered.

Rotherham United: Johansson; Hall, Wood, Harding; Barlaser (Kelly 86); Norton-Cuffy, Wiles, Rathbone (Lindsay 64), Bramall (Ferguson 86); Ogbene, Washington (Eaves 64). Unused substitutes: High, Humphreys, Vickers.Wigan Athletic: Amos; Nyambe, Whatmough, Tilt, McClean; Power, Naylor; Broadhead, Keane, Aasgaard (Darikwa 79); Wyke (Magennis 79). Unused substitutes: Jones, Kerr, Shinnie, Bennett, Fletcher.Referee: A Davies (Hampshire).