Ranieri’s task is to save Fulham from the drop...
CLAUDIO RANIERI is back in the English Premier League and the manager who led Leicester City to the top has the task of somehow hauling Fulham off the bottom. Ranieri, 67, was installed at Craven Cottage after Slavisa Jokanovic was sacked, having taken five points from 12 games. Jokanovic is the first managerial casualty in this season’s Premier League, just six months on from promotion. Ranieri has been out of work since May after a one-year spell with French side Nantes. ‘His recent body of work with Leicester is legendary,’ said owner Shahid Khan. ‘You look at Claudio’s experience with Chelsea and big clubs throughout Europe. It’s pretty evident we’re welcoming an extraordinary football man.’ Ranieri’s priority will be to strengthen a defence which has conceded 31 goals in 12 games, while trying not to lose the threat of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and coaxing more from 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon to end a run of seven straight defeats. ‘The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League,’ said Ranieri. ‘This Fulham squad has exceptional talent, contrary to its current position. ‘We must, at times, be a difficult opponent and should expect to succeed.’ Fulham’s next fixture comes a week on Saturday at Craven Cottage, against fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton. Khan called Jokanovic at 8am yesterday to inform him of his decision. It was his replacement Ranieri who introduced Jokanovic to English football when he signed him as a player for Chelsea from Deportivo La Coruna in 2000. Jokanovic was understood to be perplexed by the timing of his departure after receiving assurances of support following an improved performance in a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool last Sunday. The Serbian will not receive a bumper pay-off as his contract was signed while still in the Championship. ‘He inherited a directionless squad and a club seemingly in disarray,’ said Fulham Supporters’ Trust chairman Tom Greatrex. ‘He produced one of the most admired Championship teams of recent years, playing with style and panache.’