Against a background of reports that Michael Ballack, Petr Cech and Didier Drogba had agitated for Scolari to be sacked, Terry pointedly stressed that he and a "few" other Chelsea stars had been behind the Brazilian.

"I got the call yesterday afternoon and I was very shocked at the time and disappointed because myself and a few of the players at the club were fully behind the manager," Terry told reporters, later putting the number of Scolari loyalists at just "two or three players."

"So we're shocked to see him go but that is the people in charge at Chelsea who make them decisions."

Terry's comments will inevitably be interpreted as a sign of deep divisions within the Chelsea dressing room but the club captain said the entire squad had to accept that they had let down the man who guided Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002.

"I'm disappointed because we have not been performing as well as we can do and getting the results for the manager," Terry said. "It is a shame because it falls on his head when we should be looking at ourselves. We should have won a lot more games under the manager."

Scolari was sacked on Monday after Chelsea slipped to fourth place in the English Premier League title, with no realistic chance of reclaiming the trophy.