Rossi was sacked yesterday following Sunday's 7-0 hammering at home to Udinese, with club president Maurizio Zamperini highly critical of his tactics and his failure to address defensive problems.

"I am here to thank the fans and all at Palermo with whom I have built a relationship based on mutual respect," Rossi told La Gazzetto Dello Sport.

"My thanks to all my co-workers and the players, with whom I never had any issues."

Zamperini was a notable absentee from the list, the only passing mention coming when Rossi noted: "Coaches and presidents come and go, but Palermo will always be."

Rossi had vowed to fight on after the crushing defeat - Palermo's third in succession, which dropped them to eighth place in Serie A - but acknowledged today: "I knew that it was over, you just know when."