Villas-Boas was axed less than 24 hours after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion following several weeks of speculation about his future.
The former Porto boss only took charge at Chelsea in June last year but endured a miserable time, in large part due to a stormy relationship with the club's leading players.
Manchester United boss Ferguson, who enjoyed the support of his board through several trophy-less seasons at the start of his Old Trafford reign, hinted Villas-Boas was always likely to struggle at Chelsea, given his lack of experience and the demanding nature of owner Roman Abramovich.
"The lad's been under pressure but what you need in this job is time," Ferguson was quoted as saying on the BBC's website.
"His record at Porto shows he has got potential. But Chelsea was a big ask."
However, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said that some of Chelsea's senior stars should apologise to Villas-Boas for failing to back his overhaul of the team's style and playing staff.
Pardew said he felt for Villas-Boas, who was criticised for dropping Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, after experiencing a similar situation during his spell at West Ham.
Speaking after Newcastle's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Sunday, he said: "I have a lot of sympathy for him because that is a really, really talented coach we have lost in this country.
"I know he is from Portugal but 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, and 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."
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill was also sorry to see Villas-Boas dismissed and he said: "I am really disappointed for the lad, really disappointed.
"You don't get very much time these days and I genuinely couldn't be more disappointed. I feel for him."
Source: AFP
Source: AFP