Lampard fired, Tuchel on way in: Chelsea players and fans react to Abramovich's latest move

• Frank Lampard sacked by Chelsea with Thomas Tuchel lined up as replacement

• 'Roman Abramovich's model is brutal, simplistic and unpleasant'

• The inside story of Frank Lampard's Chelsea demise

Frank Lampard has been sacked by Chelsea, and is expected to be replaced by former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel.

In a statement on the club's website, owner Roman Abramovich confirmed the news, saying: "This was a very difficult decision for the Club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him."

"He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge."

Thomas Tuchel, the former PSG coach who was sacked by the French club on Christmas Eve, will take over in the dugout in West London, reports our Football News Correspondent Matt Law.

The former Chelsea midfielder has been in charge since the summer of 2019, but has been shown the door by Abramovich, after a run of five defeats in the last eight matches.

That poor run ha left Chelsea ninth in the Premier League table and in danger of missing out on qualifying for next seasons Champions League, despite spending more than £220m in last summer's transfer window.

05:09 PM

The inside story of Frank Lampard's Chelsea demise

When Chelsea confirmed the return of Frank Lampard as head coach in July 2019, the statement, which sat under a picture of the club’s record goalscorer next to director Marina Granovskaia, announced he had signed a three-year contract.

In actual fact, that deal was two guaranteed years with the option of a third which means Chelsea will presumably only have to pay Lampard six months’ of his annual wage, around £2 million, as severance.

Whatever the good long-term intentions of Chelsea at the time, the fact the option of the further third year was never taken up at the end of Lampard’s first season in charge will leave conspiracy theorists wondering whether or not the doubts inside Stamford Bridge were present long before this season's run of five defeats in eight Premier League games.

READ MORE: The inside story of Frank Lampard's Chelsea demise

04:47 PM

Lampard barred from training ground

Sky Sports are reporting that Frank Lampard has not been allowed to the Cobham training ground today to say his goodbyes to the players and staff there.

Lampard and his assistants Jody Morris and Chris Jones, both of whom followed him from Derby, have been prevented from going to the training complex, where Chelsea are training this afternoon.

04:24 PM

Frank Lampard will not be put off management career despite Chelsea sacking

Frank Lampard will not be put off a career in management, despite losing his dream job as Chelsea head coach, reports Matt Law.

Chelsea dismissed Lampard after 18 months in charge, despite the fact the 42-year-old guided the club to qualification for the Champions League and the FA Cup final in his first season in charge.

Lampard was convinced he could turn around Chelsea’s poor run of form this season, with the club five points behind fourth-placed Liverpool and still in the Champions League and the FA Cup.

READ MORE: Frank Lampard will not be put off management career despite Chelsea sacking

04:02 PM

Lampard on Chelsea's approach to managers

A clip has been doing the rounds on Twitter of Frank Lampard reacting to Jose Mourinho's second sacking from Chelsea in 2015, in which he notes the culture of firing managers at the club.

"We've been here before with Chelsea where managers change every season, I don't know how many times you can do that," Lampard says on Sky Sports.

03:40 PM

Reece James thanks Lampard for 'opportunity to live his dream'

Reece James has posted an emotional message of thanks to Frank Lampard via Instagram.

The right-back, who came through Chelsea's academy, said he "idolised" Lampard as a Chelsea fan growing up.

"I can't explain what it's been like to play under you, the whole journey has been surreal", he said. "Thank you so much for all you have taught me, which I will continue to use throughout my career."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to live my dream! I'll forever be thankful," he added.

03:25 PM

Ralph Hasenhuttl: 'It's part of the business'

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl praised Frank Lampard for the job he did at Stamford Bridge last season, but said managerial turnover comes with the territory.

"It's part of the business," he said at his press conference before the match against Arsenal tomorrow.

"Last season he had a young team and reached the Champions League and then this season when you sign so many good players for so much money it is normal that you come under more pressure earlier, the expectations are higher," he added.

"But the reason why he has no job any longer, I don't know."

03:08 PM

Roy Hodgson 'saddened' by Lampard sacking

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said he is "saddened" by Frank Lampard's dismissal from the Chelsea hotseat.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of West Ham's visit to Selhurst Park tomorrow night, Hodgson said: "It saddens me. I thought he did an excellent job last season. I was rather hoping that the idol of the fans and Chelsea legend that he is, he'd get a longer shot than 18 months.

02:48 PM

Tammy Abraham: Lampard a 'role model'

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has taken to Instagram to thank Frank Lampard following his sacking this morning.

Abraham called Lampard a "role model, a mentor & a great manager" in the post.

"Thank you Gaffer," he added.

Lampard gave Abraham his first real run in the Chelsea team and his faith was repaid, with the academy product scoring 15 Premier League goals last season. Abraham is Chelsea's top scorer in the league this campaign as well, with 6 so far.

02:32 PM

Brendan Rodgers: Lampard 'not given time'

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, who once managed the youth team at Chelsea, has expressed his sympathy for Frank Lampard over the sacking, saying he was not "given time".

"Clearly I'm really sad for Frank and his staff. I know how much the club means to him," he said at his press conference ahead of Leicester's trip to Everton on Wednesday evening.

"Looking at the squad and how young they are, they need time. He hasn't been given that time. I really feel for him. He did great at Derby. He had the courage to step out of an amazing career and could have taken an easier route."

"It was a job he couldn't turn down, even though he didn't have a lot of experience. Results haven't been what he would have wanted, but I feel it's a job that needed time."

02:23 PM

Frank Lampard sacking: He knew Roman Abramovich’s model better than anyone

02:12 PM

Harry Redknapp: 'Chelsea don't seem to give time'

Harry Redknapp, the former Tottenham boss and Frank Lampard's uncle, says that his nephew should have been given more time to arrest the slide in form at Stamford Bridge

Redknapp told talkSPORT: "They've been on a bad little run, but so has everybody. This is a different time for football, it is almost a different game with no fans."

"Jurgen Klopp's going through a bad spell. Does that suddenly make him a bad manager? He will come out of it again as we all know, but you need time. You will have your ups and downs."

"Alex Ferguson survived by the skin of his teeth when the board looked like they would sack him after 18 months or two years at Old Trafford where he hadn't won anything."

"Suddenly he goes on to arguably be the greatest manager we've ever seen. You need time and unfortunately at Chelsea it seems a club where they don't seem to give time."

02:01 PM

Pep Guardiola: 'If you don't win, you'll be sacked'

Manchester City manager Pepo Guardiola has given his thoughts on Frank Lampard's sacking, expressing his sympathies.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of tomorrow night's game against West Brom, Guardiola said: "Here, you have to win. People talk about projects and ideas but you have to win. If you don't you will be sacked."

"I respect the decision from Chelsea but a huge hug for Frank. Hopefully when the lockdown is over I can go to a restaurant and see him again."

01:49 PM

Thiago Silva: 'Thank you legend'

Chelsea central defender Thiago Silva has tweeted his thoughts on the sacking of Frank Lampard, thanking the "legend".

"As I told you, it seemed like we had been working together for 10 years!!" he wrote. "Thank you very much for everything legend."

01:41 PM

'Roman Abramovich's model is brutal, simplistic and unpleasant — but as Frank Lampard knew it will never change'

Frank Lampard follows in a long line of managers who have fallen foul of the Chelsea owner — it was as inevitable as day following night, says our Chief Football Correspondent Jason Burt.

READ MORE: Roman Abramovich's model is brutal, simplistic and unpleasant — but as Frank Lampard knew it will never change

01:31 PM

Gary Neville: Transfer embargo 'shielded' Lampard from expectations

Sky pundit and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville says frank Lampard did a "good job" at Chelsea but the huge spend in last summer's transfer window increased expectations.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Neville said: "Frank has had a short amount of time with a new set of players. He was given a period under a transfer embargo, it shielded him, he did a great job in that period but the minute they spent the money they did, it was always going to bring more expectation and we know what happens at Chelsea when expectation comes."

"When you have one of the biggest budgets in the league and biggest spend, expectation comes with it and at Chelsea their approach to managers has been consistent and Frank knew that when he got the job."

"Frank won't want people to feel sorry for him, he'll have an understanding that he went into a club that has always been like this with managers. The results and inconsistent form has cost him. As a club legend we maybe all thought he'd get a bit more time."

Asked if Lampard took the job too early, he added: "I don't believe it was too early, he had no choice, it's OK everyone saying pick and choose, maybe he wasn't right, there was no way you turn it down if you're Frank Lampard. He's a better manager today than he was 17 months ago, I hope he's able to go and build a brilliant managerial career."

"I sit here with no feeling of sorry for Frank, or that he's done anything other than a good job. It's Chelsea...Frank has been exposed to Chelsea releasing managers every 12 to 18 months if things don't go as they want. I don't have any great deal of worry for Frank's career. Tuchel will be exposed to the exact same rules as Frank and we'll be saying the same about him in 18 months, two years."

12:52 PM

Jody Morris expected to leave Chelsea

Frank Lampard's assistant Jody Morris is expected to follow him out of the door, Matt Law reports.

The news has yet to be confirmed. It is unclear if any other backroom staff will depart the club.

Morris was Lampard's assistant during his one season in charge at Derby and was the manager of Chelsea's academy team prior to that.

12:41 PM

Shaun Wright-Phillips: 'Gutted to see Lampard go'

Former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who played alongside Lampard in West London for three seasons, has tweeted that he is "gutted" to see him leave the dugout.

"Gutted to see Lamps go!" he tweeted. "It was always going to take time for new players to bed in and adjust, I feel patience was needed, especially after working with no budget last year and doing such a great job."

"Ultimately football is a results business and short term success is also required, but the bigger picture for me is, Frank went through his first bad run and Chelsea are only 5 points behind 4th spot.. the season is all to play for!"

"I know will bounce back from this and use this experience only as a positive. I absolutely loved my time at Chelsea and the fans were always so great towards me so I really do hope the club get the right appointment."

12:33 PM

Mario Melchiot: Lampard couldn't 'make a team' out of big-money signings

Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot felt Lampard paid the price for not getting the most out of his big-money signings.

"The first year he had the (transfer) ban going on and everyone, including myself, was saying that the way he managed himself around it...was exactly the future we were hoping for in Chelsea, bringing back new young stars to really develop into that team, instead of always having players who were brought outside," he told Sky Sports.

"Then the next season comes in, he gets the financial support and brings in a couple of players, definitely star players at their club, like (Timo) Wener, (Kai) Havertz and (Hakim) Ziyech and then he's trying to make a team out of it and I feel like that didn't really happen and it took a bit longer."

"Some managers manage to get the time and...my point of view is let him run until the end of the season and then make a decision, but I think they made a decision way before today."

"Because you're not going to sack a manager of a club like Chelsea, you anticipate it way ahead of time, and seeing if things change and, if it doesn't, then you make a decision and that's what they came out with today."

12:16 PM

Danny Drinkwater appears to celebrate Lampard departure

Chelsea's players have so far kept quiet on their thoughts on the sacking of their manager, but Danny Drinkwater appears to have enjoyed the news.

The midfielder, who is currently on loan at Turkish club Kasimpasa, posted a picture to Instagram of him celebrating a goal while he was a Leicester player just minutes after Lampard's sacking was confirmed.

A few minutes later, Drinkwater clarified that it was not intended to gloat, saying he "looked up to the manager hugely as a player."

11:56 AM

Matt Law: Tuchel a 'risky' appointment

The man who broke the news of Frank Lampard's sacking, our very own Matt Law, says the decision by Chelsea to replace Lampard with Thomas Tuchel is "risky".

"Lampard deserved more time in my opinion," he tweeted. "Tuchel ticks some boxes but is a risky appointment, as Chelsea will know."

11:46 AM

Chelsea managers under Abramovich

Frank Lampard is the 12th permanent manager sacked by Roman Abramovich since he bought the club in 2003. Here's how the Englishman fared compared to his predecessor's:

11:40 AM

Lampard's reign in pictures

11:31 AM

Chelsea statement on Lampard departure

Chelsea have confirmed the sacking of Frank Lampard via a statement on the club's website.

In a rare move, owner Roman Abramovich has released an official comment as part of the press release, symbolising the great standing Lampard still holds at the club from his playing days.

“This was a very difficult decision for the Club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him," the owner says.

“He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics. However, under current circumstances we believe it is best to change managers."

“On behalf of everyone at the Club, the Board and personally, I would like to thank Frank for his work as Head Coach and wish him every success in the future. He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge,” Abramovich added.

The statement makes reference to Lampard's standing at the club, referring to him as a "club legend".

11:24 AM

Have your say

Were Chelsea right to let Frank Lampard go? Vote in our poll below:

11:17 AM

Lampard's tenure in stats

Despite adulation from the fanbase, Frank Lampard leaves Chelsea with some damning statistics:

Since August 2019, Chelsea have won just 15 points against fellow ‘big six’ sides, a joint-low tally alongside Arsenal. They scored 17 goals and conceded 28 times in 15 such matches.

In the Roman Abramovich era, only Andre Villas-Boas (47.5 per cent) has a worse win rate in all competitions amongst permanent Chelsea managers than Frank Lampard (52.4 per cent).

Chelsea have lost seven home Premier League matches under Frank Lampard (P28 W15 D6 L7), as many as his predecessors Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri did in 57 games combined (W40 D10 L7), while only Glenn Hoddle (17) and Claudio Ranieri (11) have lost more Premier League games at Stamford Bridge as manager.

11:10 AM

Lampard leaves Chelsea with worst PPG under Abramovich

Per ESPN, Frank Lampard departs Chelsea with the lowest points per game record of any permanent manager during the Roman Abramovich era. His average of 1.67 PPG leaves him just below Andre Villas-Boas, and nearly 0.5 PPG worse off than Joe Mourinho, Avram Grant and Antonio Conte.

During his tenure, Chelsea have also conceded 50 away league goals in just 29 matches, second only to Newcastle.

11:04 AM

The Chelsea players connected to Tuchel

There are several players in Chelsea's squad who have played under the German. Thiago Silva served as his captain during his two full seasons in charge of Paris. After Tuchel's departure from PSG, Silva was quoted as saying that the move was "foreseeable" as the players "knew there were situations that had to be changed".

The other who has worked with the 47-year-old coach is Christian Pulisic. The American broke into Borussia Dortmund's first team, making 29 league appearances during Tuchel's final season in charge.

Pulisic thrived playing wide under while in Germany, using his natural pace on the counter. Tuchel has favoured a 4-3-3 system during his career, which utilises fast wide players on the counter.

10:51 AM

Gary Lineker: Lampard sacking 'utterly ludicrous'

Reaction to Chelsea's decision from the footballing community is starting to trickle through, and much of it isn't kind.

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has tweeted, calling the move "utterly ludicrous", saying Chelsea have "never learn[ed]" the virtue of patience.

10:46 AM

Thomas Tuchel's CV

Frank Lampard has been sacked by Chelsea and will reportedly be replaced by Thomas Tuchel. Here's a brief run down of the German's career so far:

After an unspectacular playing career that was cut short by a knee injury, Tuchel has orchestrated a rapid rise to the top table of European clubs during his 13 year managerial career.

After impressing at Augsburg II and Mainz, Tuchel was handed the reins at Borussia Dortmund following the departure of Jurgen Klopp. In his two seasons in north-west Germany, Tuchel won one domestic cup and qualified for the Champions League in both seasons.

Dortmund spent heavily during his tenure, but he was not able to wrestle control of the Bundesliga back from Bayern Munich. His time at Dortmund was marred by battles with the board, including a public spat with CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke over transfer policy. He was sacked in May 2017.

A year later, he signed as the head coach for PSG, where he won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and one Coupe de France, as well as leading the French side to their first ever Champions League final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich.

His time in Paris was also littered with battles with the board, and sporting director Leonardo in particular. Tuchel once said he felt "[more like] a politician in sport" than a coach, which led to his sacking on Christmas Eve last year.

Chelsea have previously been warned of Tuchel due to tetchy character.

READ MORE: Revealed: Chelsea were warned off Thomas Tuchel in summer 2017

10:34 AM

Frank Lampard to be sacked

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is set to be sacked today, the Telegraph can exclusively reveal.

Our Football News Correspondent Matt Law reports that Chelsea's first-team squad have been told not to report to training until this afternoon, with confirmation of the sacking expected at some point today.

Matt Law also reports that Thomas Tuchel, the former Paris Saint-Germain coach who was sacked by the French club on Christmas Eve, will take over in the dugout in West London.

Despite beating Luton yesterday to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup, they have been on a poor run of form over the winter, losing five of their last eight matches, leaving them languishing in ninth place in the Premier League table.

Lampard was just 18-months into his spell in the dugout at Stamford Bridge. He overperformed in his first season, guiding the club to fourth place and an FA Cup final despite a transfer embargo. However, pressure has been mounting on the former midfielder after a £220m summer transfer outlay.

Lampard reportedly had not sought any reassurances about his position over the last few weeks, confident he was the right man to reverse the dramatic slump in form.

Speaking before the Luton Town game Lampard said “I’m a fighter first and foremost. It’s how I managed to make a career out of the game as a player. When I packed up, I could have easily stayed in the media or come out of football altogether.

“I didn’t need to get back in. I got back in with a desire to be successful. I didn’t have blinkers on. I knew that there will be tough times and things that you can’t control like you did as a player.”

During the autumn, Chelsea went on an impressive 17-match unbeaten run that saw them climb briefly to the Premier League summit at the start of December, as well as qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.