Felix Magath is confident he will lead Fulham to Premier League survival, following his surprise appointment as manager on Friday.
The German coach was named as the new manager of the Craven Cottage outfit, who failed to make any announcement about the future of previous boss Rene Meulensteen. It has since been suggested the former Manchester United assistant has been offered a backroom role, but there has been no official word on the new structure.
In the meantime, Magath has taken his first training session with the Londoners, who are currently bottom of the Premier League table, four points from safety. With just 12 matches left it will be a tall order for the 60-year-old to keep the club in the top-flight, but he is confident results will soon improve and they will climb the table.
“Yeah, I am sure I can [keep Fulham up] because I have done it sometimes before in Germany,” said the former Schalke boss. “I have taken over clubs in a similar situation, and I am very confident I can do it once more here in England with Fulham. I think 12 games are enough to keep them in the Premier League and we need confidence now. We need spirit and we will start next Saturday at West Bromwich Albion.
“If the players, the staff and fans will support us 100 per cent and the players give 100 per cent, I am sure we have the potential to avoid relegation. I would think that we would have a team that has more potential than what we have shown. I am sure that we will do that in the next games, show our fans, who I hope will support us in our most important game next weekend against West Bromwich, that we can do better than our last games.”
Fulham still have to play title candidates Chelsea at home and Manchester City away, whilst Everton also visit the capital next month. They also meet some of their rivals in the relegation battle, including second-bottom Cardiff City in Wales, and Norwich City and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage, in what is sure to be a tense run-in.
