Fulham have sacked Claudio Ranieri after less than four months in charge of the club.
The Italian was given his marching orders on Thursday after the Cottagers’ 2-0 defeat to Southampton – leaving them in need of a miracle to stay in the Premier League this season.
Ranieri, 67, won just three games out of 16 after replacing Slavisa Jokanovic in November, with the club sinking deeper into the relegation zone during his tenure.
They are now ten points adrift of safety with ten games to go, and fans started to turn on the club’s hierarchy during the defeat at St Mary’s.
A banner read: “Risk free? Are you watching Tony Khan?”
Fulham have only collected points from one Premier League game in 2019 – the 4-2 victory over Brighton in January – with defeats in seven of their last eight games costing Ranieri his job.
Chairman Shad Khan said in a statement: “Following our discussion this afternoon, Claudio Ranieri agreed to my decision that a change was in the best interest of everyone.
“Claudio’s tenure at Fulham didn’t produce the outcome we anticipated and needed when I appointed him as manager in November but, be assured, he is not solely to blame for the position we are in today.”
The Cottagers have now turned to first-team coach Scott Parker, who will take over from Ranieri until the end of the season.
Parker retired from football in June 2017 and has since held coaching roles at Tottenham and Fulham.
The former England international may look to prove himself while the club consider their options – Darren Moore successfully auditioned for the West Brom job when placed in a similar situation last season.
However, his first match will be a tough one, at home to Chelsea on Sunday, and it doesn’t get any easier with Liverpool and Manchester City awaiting the Cottagers in March.
Khan said: “Scott’s immediate assignment is merely to help us stabilise, grow and rediscover ourselves as a football club. If Scott can answer that challenge, and our players respond to the opportunity, perhaps victories will follow in the months ahead.
“What’s most important at this moment, however, is to regroup in a smart and deliberate manner that will serve our long-term vision for sustainable success. If we’re able to do that and win some matches to make a stand late in the season, all the better.”