Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has revealed that he is stunned by Sunderland's decision to sack manager Paolo Di Canio.
The 45-year-old was dismissed by Black Cats owner Ellis Short following the club's poor start to the season, which sees them at the bottom of the Premier League after five games.
Shearer told BBC Sport: "I'm amazed, I really am amazed. Paolo Di Canio hasn't changed from the guy he was a year ago or two years ago. I assume, maybe naively, that Ellis Short and his chief executive did their homework on Paolo before they went and hired him to do the job at Sunderland.
"So they knew what his man-management style was like, it is very different. For them to give him £19m to spend in the summer and the power to let players like Stephane Sessegnon leave and then five games into the season say 'I'm sorry but what we've seen so far is not good enough, we're getting rid of you, we're sacking you' - I'm absolutely staggered."
Di Canio's final game as Sunderland boss came in their 3-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
