The Fulham owner, Shahid Khan, has pledged to undertake “an exhaustive, thorough and deliberate” search for a new manager but has confirmed his temporary appointment, Kit Symons, will have an opportunity to stake a claim to take the position full-time.
Symons will take charge of Saturday’s visit of Blackburn Rovers to Craven Cottage after Felix Magath was sacked on Thursday with Fulham bottom of the Championship with a solitary point from seven games to date. The former West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City managers Steve Clarke and Chris Hughton have already expressed an interest in taking the job, with Tim Sherwood and Danny Murphy also understood to be under early consideration for the role.
Khan, who bought the club from Mohamed Al Fayed 14 months ago, is seeking advice from more experienced figures within the game ahead of making an appointment. “As Kit Symons takes the reins as our caretaker manager, I will personally lead the search for our next first-team manager,” said Khan, writing in his programme notes for Saturday’s game against Rovers. “To address the obvious question as to whether Kit will be in consideration, the answer is yes. But this will be an exhaustive, thorough and deliberate process. No decisions will be made for the sake of deadlines or convenience.
“I plan to summon a number of qualified advisers for input, some within or close to the Fulham family and others who will bring a perspective from outside the club. In the end the decision will be mine, but the choice will be made with the benefit of excellent and highly respected counsel. This process is already under way and I look forward to tackling the challenge and opportunity ahead.”
Khan is searching for his fourth permanent manager having already dismissed Martin Jol – who was in situ when the American bought the club in July 2013 – René Meulensteen and Magath, who was unable to prevent the London club’s relegation from the Premier League last term and had failed to hit the ground running at the lower level.
“I don’t doubt our effort on the pitch this season in the least,” added the owner, who has overseen a radical restructuring of the playing staff since demotion to the second tier was confirmed. “We’ve been working many young homegrown players into the first-team and it’s clear why our academy director, Huw Jennings, and his entire academy staff are considered the best in the business.
“But, they’re learning and, as we’re reminded with each match, the Championship is a rugged league. I believe our squad has competed fiercely. We saw that on Wednesday night at Nottingham Forest [when the visitors lost 5-3], and I anticipate we’ll see it against Blackburn Rovers. But I’m also reminded of a quote from Bill Parcells, the legendary Hall of Fame head coach in American football, who once said: ‘You are what your record says you are.’
“That’s an unfortunate and unacceptable reality of our season to this point, which is why I made the decision on Thursday to make a managerial change and part ways with Felix Magath. You [the Fulham supporters] deserve better and my job – and our job – is to deliver. I promise you that we will.”
