Premier League: Fulham appoint Claudio Ranieri as manager

Premier League: Fulham appoint Claudio Ranieri as manager
Newly-promoted Fulham pulled off a surprise move on Wednesday, they sacked manager Slavisa Jokanovic and at the same time they announced the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as the new boss. The Cottagers are currently at the bottom of the Premier League table after 12 matches, with just five points collected since the start of the season. Claudio Ranieri is the man that led Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, the biggest upset in European football in decades, but the Italian got sacked during the following season after failing to lead the Foxes to similar heights. "Making a change without having the right answer or succession plan was not an option," said Fulham chairman Shahid Khan about his decision. "So having someone of Claudio's calibre ready to accept our challenge was comforting but, most of all, essential. Claudio is risk-free and ready-made for the Premier League, and particularly so for what we need at this moment at Fulham. His recent body of work with Leicester City is literally legendary, and 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 to Fulham Football Club." "It is an honour to accept Mr Khan's invitation and opportunity to lead Fulham, a fantastic club with tradition and history," Ranieri replied. "The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League. 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." Ranieri was sacked by Leicester just nine months after having led them to the title, and then tried his luck in France at Nantes. He led the French club to a mid-table finish in Ligue 1 last season and his contract was not renewed. Fulham are currently 11/8 at Bet365 to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.
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