It's the brutality of football: Mourinho on Lampard's sacking

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said that he is sad over Frank Lampard being sacked as the head coach of Chelsea but stressed that it is the "brutality of football" and a manager knows that sooner or later it is going to happen.

"I don't think Frank wants to speak to me or with anyone apart from his close circle of family and friends. But I am always sad when a colleague loses his job and Frank is not just a colleague," Goal.com quoted Mourinho as saying.

"He is an important person in my career so I feel sorry he did. But it is the brutality of football, especially modern football so when you become a manager you know that sooner or later it is going to happen to you," he added.

Lampard has previously played under Mourinho at Stamford Bridge from 2004-2007 and then again in 2013.

Chelsea parted ways with Lampard on Monday. "Chelsea Football Club have today parted company with Head Coach Frank Lampard. This has been a very difficult decision, and not one that the owner and the Board have taken lightly," the club had said in a statement.

The club has not yet announced Lampard's successor. "The Club will be making no further comment until such time as a new Head Coach is appointed," the club had said.

Mourinho's Tottenham defeated Wycombe 4-1 in the FA Cup here on Tuesday to progress in the competition. Tottenham will now take on Liverpool in the Premier League on Friday.

( With inputs from ANI )