‘I’ll beef up Fulham’
CLAUDIO RANIERI returned to English football yesterday and promised his struggling Fulham players McDonald’s burgers if they can keep the ball out of their net.
Bottom of the Premier League Fulham, who have let in 31 goals in 12 games and lost their last six games, handed the 67-year-old Italian the job on Wednesday on a ‘multi-year’ contract.
Ranieri, who won the title with Leicester in 2016, said: “I’m mad to take this job – but not stupid! I hope to be buying McDonald’s big burgers for my players soon!”
Ranieri’s first game in charge will be against Southampton at Craven Cottage a week today.
He believes the team have enough quality to avoid relegation but has issued a warning, saying: “I need fighting spirit.”
HE promised his players McDonald’s burgers if they can stay in the Premier League. He asked them to be pirates when they need to win the ball back.
He insisted he was mad to take on the task of keeping Fulham in the top flight – but not stupid. He wants his players to fight for the club as if they were fighting for their families.
Yes, Claudio Ranieri is back. Back with the wacky pledges and promises, back with the mangled English, back with the charm and the smile.
But beneath all the eccentricities, the message to Fulham’s players and their fans was clear yesterday, as the 67-year-old Italian was introduced at Craven Cottage. Forget the fancy football. Ranieri is intent on keeping the Cottagers in the Premier League and he does not much care how he does it.
Ranieri, the man of 15 different clubs in a scattergun managerial career, succeeded Slavisa Jokanovic, the man who took Fulham back to the top flight last summer, on Wednesday.
The former Chelsea manager who led 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester to the unlikeliest Premier League title of all time in 2015-16, has been handed a “multi-year” contract by owner Shahid Khan, but the task is simple – keep Fulham in the Premier League.
Ranieri said: “If I came here it’s because I believe. I’m mad – but not stupid. I can do this. It will not be easy. Nothing is easy – but I believe. I have watched some of Fulham’s matches and this team has enough quality to be safe. But that is just quality.
“I need fighting spirit. With quality and fighting spirit we can do a good job. If there is only quality, without organisation or defensive tactics, it’s difficult. Play football, play well, but when you lose the ball I want to see you like pirates.”
At Leicester, Ranieri gave his players little bells and told them: “Dilly ding, dilly dong, wake up!”. He promised them pizzas if they kept clean sheets. For Fulham, who have let in 31 in 12 games with the worst defence in the division, it will be all down to McDonald’s if they keep the ball out of the net.
Ranieri said: “I have to promise something more here. Pizza is not enough now.
It’s better if everybody goes to McDonald’s. I hope to pay for a McDonald’s big burger very soon.”
Ranieri has fought relegation battles before, saving Parma from the drop from Serie A in 2007 when they were second from bottom, ending up 12th.
“It’s important to forget what happened yesterday and look forward,” he said. “I hope we can play well, but if we play well and lose it’s a problem. I hope to play badly and win.
“Leicester was a bonus. A fairy tale I have forgotten. I don’t think about the miracle. Now there will be battles.” His first match is against fellow strugglers Southampton a week today.
After that he faces two of his former clubs, in Chelsea and Leicester.
Ranieri has been promised funds in January if he needs them but will give his current squad a chance. He said: “I spoke with the chairman and if I need something he is there.
“But I want to see the players. When you change the manager, you change the air in the dressing room. Some players maybe didn’t play with the former manager and the new manager might give them more. I have very good players but now they have to show fighting spirit.
“I have a very high fighting spirit – 100 per cent. I will kill you if you come over here. A player can come at 100 per cent – but maybe it is 20 per cent to me. The players must show me heart. Now we have our families on the pitch and we have to save our family.”
Ranieri has received good luck messages from some of his former Leicester players. Last week he was at the memorial service for owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. He said: “Vichai made a fantastic thing. ”