Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew says Chelsea players should hang their heads in shame after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

Pardew pointed the finger for Villas-Boas' sacking firmly at some of the club's under-performing stars.

Villas-Boas' strained relations with the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole - not to mention Alex and Nicolas Anelka, who were both sold - have been widely credited for some of the 10 defeats he suffered since his arrival.

"I have a lot of sympathy for him because that is a really, really talented coach we have lost in this country," Pardew said after his side's 1-1 draw with Sunderland.

"He has had to take on a club there with a lot of senior pros and in the background probably had a very, very difficult job.

"When you are in a transition year like that - and I have been in it because I was at West Ham when I inherited a lot of senior pros who had just been relegated - it was very, very difficult.

"They made it difficult for me, and one or two of them have apologised since, and so they should. I hope one day that happens to that manager because I think he deserves a better turn than he has had."