Frank Lampard has issued a statement and broken his silence following his sacking that brought an end to an 18-month spell in charge of Chelsea.
The club's all-time leading goalscorer was dismissed on Monday following a poor run of form, which has seen the Blues slip to five-points behind the top-four places.
Lampard impressed in his first season at the club, having earned his managerial stripes in the Championship with Derby County, securing a top-four finish and reaching the FA Cup final despite not being able to sign players.
That changed in the summer as the Blues splashed over £200m to sign the likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz but performances have been disappointing.
Lampard's dismissal came following the FA Cup fourth-round victory over Luton Town, which set up a fifth-round clash against Burnley, but he will not be in the dugout at Turf Moor.
Instead, former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel will arrive to take the reins and Lampard issued a statement on his departure on Monday evening.
"It has been a huge privilege and an honour to manage Chelsea, a club that has been a big part of my life for so long," a statement issued via the League Manager's Association read.
"Firstly, I would like to thank the fans for the incredible support that I have received over the last 18 months, I hope they know what that means to me. "When I took on this role, I understood the challenges that lay ahead in a difficult time for the football club.
"I am proud of the achievements that we made and I am proud of the academy players that have made their step into the first team and performed so well. They are the future of the club. I am disappointed not to have had the time this season to take the club forward and bring it to the next level.
"I want to thank Mr. Abramovich, the board, players, my coaching team and everyone at the club for their hard work and dedication, especially in these unprecedented and challenge times. I wish the team and the club every success for the future."
