Claudio Ranieri is back for a third stint in the Premier League as he has been named the new coach of relegation-haunted Premier League side, Fulham.
The Cottagers named the Italian as their new manager after they sacked their erstwhile handler, Slavisa Jokanovic, on Tuesday.
Jokanovic, the first managerial casualty in the EPL this season, oversaw Fulham’s return to the Premier League for the first time since 2013-14.
Unfortunately, the coach made a poor start to the season despite an investment of around £100 million for new players during the summer.
The Cottagers have lost their last seven games across all competitions, including six in the league to leave them bottom of the table and three points from safety.
Fulham confirmed Jokanovic’s sack and the appointment of Ranieri in the same statement, with the Italian signing a “multi-year contract” at Craven Cottage.
The deal sees Ranieri return to the Premier League for the first time since being sacked by Leicester City in 2017.
“It is an honour to accept Mr. Khan’s invitation and opportunity to lead Fulham, a fantastic club with tradition and history. The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League,” Ranieri told the club’s official website.
“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 very capable of better performances, which we will work on straight away as we prepare for Southampton at the Cottage.”
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan added: “Making a change without having the right answer or succession plan was not an option, 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.
Fulham confirmed that they spoke to “a number of potential candidates” before sacking Jokanovic and choosing Ranieri, who previously managed the club’s local rivals Chelsea.
Ranieri’s first game in charge will come against Southampton on November 24, before facing two of his former clubs – Chelsea and Leicester – in succession.
