Manchester United manager Ferguson believes the sudden end of Scolari's tenure is a "sign of the times" - in which one of his colleagues can lose his job so easily.

Scolari was dismissed today with his team fourth in the Barclays Premier League, seven points behind leaders United after a disappointing draw at home to mid-table Hull two days ago.

Asked about the situation on MUTV, Ferguson said: "I am really surprised. It is a shock so soon - he only took the job seven months ago.

"He is a man of great experience; he took Brazil to World Cup winners - and was the obvious choice to replace Avram Grant.

"It is a sign of the times. There is absolutely no patience in the world now."

Ferguson also senses the back pages of British newspapers increasingly help to make managers' positions more precarious.

"It just seems to be more volatile now. You can't always blame the press - but they play a part," he added.

"The way the tabloids are - competing against the Internet and Sky News - there is a sensationalism every time someone has a bad result.

"There was great expectation at Chelsea that they were going to do well this year - and it is only this last month they have had a bad spell.

"The judgment really is only on the last month."

Former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle echoed Ferguson's belief that Scolari was a victim of the growing pressures and lack of patience in modern football.

Hoddle, in charge at Stamford Bridge between 1993 and 1996, told Chelsea TV: "I think any manager nowadays needs a bit more time than Scolari's had - so yes, I'm surprised.

"But obviously the standards Chelsea are looking for are right up there and anyone that takes a job like Chelsea knows those pressure are there.

"With how much money you've got and how much talent you've got, it's a pressure job. That pressure has probably built up in the last month and it looks like that's the reason."

Hoddle, who left Chelsea to manage England, believes clubs are their own worst enemies in regard to not giving managers enough time.

He continued: "Teams like Manchester United and Arsenal have built over longevity, they've let the manager build a team then rebuild and rebuild again.

"It works even down in the lower leagues. People are changing managers two or three, maybe four times a season - they don't understand how long it takes to build a side and once you've built a side you only need to change two or three players, or maybe one player, to make it better.

"But if you keep sacking managers it's never going to happen."

Former Chelsea defender Ron Harris believes West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke - who left Stamford Bridge shortly after Scolari's appointment - would be the fans' choice.

Harris told Setanta Sports News: "I think that if it was a choice with the supporters, I think 90% would like to get Zola and Stevie Clarke."

Ex-Blues winger Pat Nevin urged the Chelsea board to take their time finding a replacement for Scolari.

"They've had a few changes over the past year or two," Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Since Jose Mourinho left it's not really been settled.

"This is a club that a year ago was one of the biggest in world and quite clearly it seems to have gone downhill quite quickly.

"I hope for Chelsea's sake they don't have a knee-jerk reaction and dive for the first name that comes into their mind, the first big name that becomes available.

"They need to give it an awful lot of thought and maybe consider someone that isn't the biggest name in the world."

Former Chelsea manager John Hollins believes Scolari paid with his job for failing to make the impression on the club scene that he did as an international manager.

Scolari coached Brazil to World Cup glory and also had success with Portugal but could not translate that to the club stage.

Hollins told Sky Sports News: "You can't knock him for what he's done internationally but club football is a different ball game.

"I feel he couldn't adapt to the everyday thing (of club management). Internationally, he's had time to look at a game and pick a team but (Chelsea) is instant.

"Every day is very, very busy and I have to say I don't think there was enough in there from him to carry it through.

"He had to have the players every day - some players have massive egos, it's the case all over the country. But Chelsea are a big side and he had to pick the team that could win a match."

Ex-Chelsea winger Clive Walker believes Scolari had lost the confidence of the players.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It sounds like one or two of the players, or a large portion of the squad, were beginning to doubt his credentials again.

"At the beginning of the season he started to make Chelsea look an exciting side again with the full-backs overlapping time and time again but, unfortunately, teams got used to that and nullified it in many ways and there wasn't a plan B, which everyone was waiting for - and I think that's the disappointment."