Fans will read into the statement given out by football clubs when a manager departs, and they often give a telling story.
Whereas Antonio Conte's 61-word thank you from the club in 2018 was further ammunition for the reports that the Italian had been going through a lengthy rift with Chelsea for most of his second campaign, and the dismissal and parting of ways were fractured. Frank Lampard's heartfelt message was tough to read.
The Chelsea legend was sacked in January 2021, bringing to an end the fairytale return that provided moments of jubilation for followers of the club. His 245-word exit statement also included a note from Roman Abramovich, one of the few times Chelsea ever heard publicly from their owner at the time.
