JOKANOVIC: FIRST TO BE AXED, I CAN BE FIRST BACK

SLAVISA JOKANOVIC was the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season – and now he wants to be the first to get back on the merry-go-round.

The 50-year-old was sacked by Fulham last month and already looks refreshed and looking forward to his first Christmas with his family in years. “I am looking around. I am one of the first coaches to lose my job, but I can be one of the first to get a new one,” said Jokanovic (left), in his first interview since he left.

The Cottagers spent more than £100million last summer on 12 new players, but Jokanovic did not have the final say on transfers – not even on fellow Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic. “My participation in transfers was minimal,” added Jokanovic.

“Different managers complain about this, it’s not just in Fulham, Jose Mourinho said something similar and modern football is going in a different direction.

“People say, ‘You signed Mitrovic in June’. No, it’s not true. Mitrovic signed himself because he scored goals, the supporters wanted him and he signed himself at a different price. Some teams give you the players and say, ‘Come on, make the team’.

“In total, I worked just two months in the Premier League, which is not enough time.

“But if they get support in the January transfer window, then I hope they will find a great solution. Everything is possible.”