League Managers' Association chairman John Barnwell expressed his shock at Gianluca Vialli's sacking by Chelsea but claimed the Italian will bounce back from the stunning blow.

Vialli was sacked by the Stamford Bridge club after winning just one game of the opening five matches of the Premiership season.

Even last season's FA Cup final victory over Aston Villa at Wembley was not enough to save "Luca" from being dismissed, the failure to qualify for this season's Champions League being a primary factor in the move.

For Barnwell, who before the start of the season highlighted the increased expectations facing managers in the modern era, it is a decision which can barely be comprehended.

"This has come as an immense surprise," he said. "The timing of it is incredible. The directors must have had doubts in their minds at the end of last season, regardless of what they had apparently achieved.

"They have spent a lot of money, so what they perceive as success will have changed with that. For some clubs in the Premier League survival is enough, for others it is a place in the top six, but for others - and Chelsea come into this category - winning trophies is the only measure of success.

"This is very sad news, but Luca has a lot of quality and I imagine he will come back again."

Vialli's close friend and current Dundee manager Ivano Bonetti has expressed his shock at the dismissal of the former Italian international. The Dens Park boss admitted that the news had come out of the blue because he felt that Vialli had done a great job at Stamford Bridge.

A Dundee spokesman said: "The manager is very surprised by the news. He thought Gianluca had done very well in the time he's been at Chelsea. Now he'll be looking to speak to him at the earliest possible opportunity."

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti said that he was "amazed" at the sacking. "I haven't got a clue why he's gone. I am very, very surprised because I thought he was a very popular manager and his record speaks for itself."

Graham Rix has been put in temporary charge and Bonetti added: "Graham has just got to keep the club motivated and focused. Football goes on."

Former Chelsea striker Peter Osgood believes Vialli's sacking ought to have come sooner and that his old club will definitely be the better for a parting of the ways with the Italian.

"At the end of the day it is going to make us a better side," he said. "We have to aim for the Champions League. That means the Premiership was our main priority and we are six or seven points behind already - so something has to be done and put right."

Osgood added his voice to those who want to see former Chelsea player and onetime England coach Terry Venables replace Vialli. "I think you have to go for Terry Venables or George Graham. I think they are both great managers who can get people playing."

Former sports minister and famous Chelsea fan Tony Banks is another who thinks Venables is the man to take the Stamford Bridge hot-seat now.

"I would like to put my money on Terry Venables. I believe he would be great for Chelsea," said Banks.

He also claimed he saw Vialli's sacking coming as long ago as last spring - even as the Italian and his team celebrated their success in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

"I am always sad when anybody goes - but the club is bigger than anybody. It was the right decision, and I support Ken Bates in what he has done.

"It was always going to happen at some stage. But Ken Bates moves quickly - Ruud Gullit found that out.

"I am feeling quite happy about it tonight, because it clearly was not working. This was inevitable," he added.

Pierluigi Casiraghi, the Italian striker bought by Vialli whose career has ended after injury, claimed Chelsea should have kept faith with the manager who had brought so much success to the club.

"Ken Bates does not know the meaning of gratitude. He is arrogant and has made a mistake," Casiraghi said.