Willie Miller says Derek McInnes deserved the chance to see the season out with Aberdeen - but admits that may only have been 'delaying the inevitable.'
McInnes' departure from Aberdeen was announced on Monday, ending his eight-year association with the Pittodrie side.
It came amid a poor season for the Dons, who had just one win in McInnes' final nine matches in charge.
A 0-0 draw with Hamilton was the final straw, and Miller, who experienced the same treatment when he was sacked as boss in 1995, sympathises with the long-serving manager.
With McInnes having consistently delivered European football to Pittodrie throughout his eight years in charge, he reckons Aberdeen may have been too swift in pulling the trigger.
In his Evening Express column, he said: "I’m disappointed that Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty didn’t get the chance to finish the season with Aberdeen.
"But the decision made by Dons chairman Dave Cormack and the board to remove them from their positions does not come as a surprise.
"I didn’t think the decision would be made now – I felt the end of the season was the best time to assess things and potentially make a change – because it has been a good spell under McInnes and Docherty.
"In my opinion McInnes had enough credit in the bank to be given the opportunity to finish this season, but it hasn’t panned out that way.
"Maybe that would have just been delaying the inevitable, but for the work McInnes has done during his eight years I would have liked to have seen him get the chance to finish third and win that elusive Scottish Cup.
"That was what I hoped for, but I’m long enough in the tooth to know in football that what you think might be the best course of action doesn’t always transpire because of performances, results, fan pressure and the expectations of the chairman and directors.
"There are a host of reasons why a decision like this is made and Cormack has decided to make this call, but I am disappointed McInnes didn’t get the chance to see the season out."
