RANIERI: I WAS A FULHAM REGULAR
NEW BOSS WAS ATTENDING GAMES AS A FAN BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT
NEW Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri has revealed he was a regular visitor to C rave n C o t t a ge b e fo re h i s s h o c k appointment as Slavisa Jokanovic’s successor on Wednesday.
R a n i e r i , 6 7, l ive s locally and he attended Fulham’s first game back in the Premier League, a 2-0 defeat to London rivals Crystal Palace, among others this season.
Fulham held talks with the experienced Italian before sacking Jokanovic, but it is thought the former Chelsea and Leicester boss attended matches as a supporter, rather than a guest of the club’s hierarchy.
“Craven Cottage is amazing,” Ranieri said. “When I f i rs t a r r ive d h e re , I thought, ‘Wow!’ It is a story in itself. Often I came to watch matches at Fulham because of my love of football. I came to the very first game of the season against Crystal Palace. Fulham played very good football and it was unbelievable how they conceded two goals.”
Under Jokanovic, Fulham conceded 31 goals in 12 Premier League games — the worst defensive record in the top flight — and they are rooted to the foot of the table, with just five points.
Ranieri said he would prioritise fixing that leaky defence, starting with the relegation six-pointer against Southampton on November 24, the first match after the international break.
“Often this season, Fulham have conceded too many goals,” he added. “As an Italian manager, the defensive way is the best method of the team. It is important to have a strong vision of how to work defensively. It’s not only the full-back or the goalkeeper. When you attack, you attack as 11. When you defend, you defend as 11.
“There is plenty to work with here,” he added. “I watched some games against Manchester City and Liverpool and the quality is high here. There is a good group here and fighting spirit is very important. Southampton are a good team, but it is important to be prepared. I hope our fans can push behind us. We need the strength of all