RANIERI’S RETURN
Leicester hero set task of saving Fulham Jokanovic axed in 8am call from Shahid Khan First managerial change of the PL season
Claudio RanieRi is back in the Premier league and the manager who led leicester to the top has the task of somehow hauling Fulham off the bottom.
Ranieri was installed at Craven Cottage after Slavisa Jokanovic was sacked, having taken five points from 12 games.
Jokanovic becomes the first managerial casualty of the Premier league season, just six months after securing promotion in the play-off final at Wembley.
Fulham owner and chairman Shahid Khan thanked him for his service and hailed Ranieri as a ‘ risk- free’ appointment and ‘ready-made’ replacement.
The 67- year- old italian overcame odds of 5,000-1 as he won the title with leicester in 2016, only to be sacked nine months later.
He has been out of work since leaving nantes in the summer after one season with the French club.
‘His recent body of work with leicester is legendary,’ said Khan. ‘Then you look at Claudio’s experience with Chelsea and big clubs throughout europe and it’s pretty evident we are welcoming an extraordinary football man.’
Ranieri’s priority will be to focus on strengthening a defence which has conceded 31 goals in a dozen games while trying not to lose the threat of aleksandar Mitrovic and coaxing more from 18-year- old Ryan Sessegnon.
This is the key to restoring confidence and convincing the players they belong in the top flight after a demoralising seven defeats in a row.
‘The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier league,’ said Ranieri. ‘We must at all times be a difficult opponent and should expect to succeed.
‘This Fulham squad has exceptional talent that is contrary to its position in the table. i know this team is capable of better performances, which we will work on straight away.’
Fulham’s next fixture is at home to fellow strugglers Southampton a week on Saturday.
Khan called Jokanovic at 8am yesterday to inform him of his decision. Together with his son Tony Khan, Fulham’s vice-chairman and director of operations, the owner had sounded out a number of candidates.
They settled on a shortlist which also included Quique Sanchez Flores and Carlos Carvalhal, before settling terms with Ranieri, who introduced Jokanovic to english football when he signed him for Chelsea from deportivo la Coruna in 2000.
Though not angry, Jokanovic was understood to be perplexed by the timing of his departure since there had been assurances of support since an improved performance in a 2-0 defeat at liverpool on Sunday.
earlier this week, Fulham’s chief executive alistair Mackintosh told the Fulham Supporters’ Trust he believed in the manager to guide the team through this difficult period. Jokanovic, too, remained confident in his ability to improve the young team.
Fulham invested more than £100million in new players in the summer, a recruitment drive led by Tony Khan with input from others including the manager, who was keen to bring in more experienced players able to adapt quickly to the pressures of the Premier league.
none of the signings has been instantly successful. others have been disastrous and the harmony of last season has been disrupted.
Jokanovic will not receive a bumper pay-off because he was still employed on a contract he signed in the Championship. a deal discussed after promotion had not been agreed.
‘at the time he took over, he inherited a directionless squad and a club seemingly in disarray with a restless fanbase,’ said Tom Greatrex, chairman of the Fulham Supporters’ Trust.
‘He was able to produce one of the most admired footballing teams of recent years in the Championship, playing with style and panache.
‘Slav will go down as one of the great Fulham managers.’