Managerial changes at Fulham and Liverpool

Fulham and Liverpool both went through a coaching change last season with the Cottagers forced to bring in a new manager this month following the resignation of Mark Hughes.

Hughes, who replaced Roy Hodgson last summer, unexpect-edly quit Fulham earlier this month amid reports linking him to the then vacant managerial post at Chelsea which has since been filled by Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Former Ajax coach Martin Jol, who had a spell in charge of Tottenham a few years back, is now in the hot seat at Craven Cottage.

At this time last season, Hughes was unemployed after being sacked by Manchester City to make way for Roberto Mancini in December 2010.

In the pre-season, he reached an agreement to become Fulham’s new manager after Hodgson left to take over at Liverpool. Hodgson only lasted five months at Anfield as a spate of negative results pushed the Reds down the standings and towards the dreaded relegation zone.

The new Liverpool owners eventually dismissed Hodgson and appointed club legend Kenny Dalglish who sparked an immediate revival. Liverpool finished sixth in the Premier League last season.

According to reports, Fulham offered the managerial job to Jol last year but the Dutchman opted to stay with Ajax at the time. Jol asked Chris Hughton to join him at Craven Cottage after the two worked very well together at Tottenham but the latter has been appointed manager of Birmingham City.

Fulham will play in the Europa League this season after gaining a ‘wild card’ for finishing top of the Premier League Fair Play table.

Swiss defender Philippe Senderos is looking forward to a sustained run in Fulham’s first team after being sidelined with injuries for most of last season.

Experienced Norwegian defen-der Brede Hangeland, a member of the team that reached the final of the Europa League under Hodgson last year, is confident that Fulham’s experience and knowledge of the competition should help them progress.

King Kenny returns

The return of Dalglish to Anfield lifted the spirits of Liverpool’s technical staff, players and the fans, who had urged the club to appoint the Scot as manager after Rafael Benitez left.

The team made giant strides under Dalglish’s guidance as they slowly but surely moved up the table to make a strong finish to the season.

Yet, the most important matter at Liverpool was the change of owners in the first phase of the campaign when Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett were ordered to sell the club to US company NESV, led by John W. Henry.

After the sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a British record transfer fee of £50m, Liverpool captured Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.7m and Andy Carroll from Newcastle United for £35m.

In the closing stages of the season, Liverpool’s home defeat to Tottenham cost them qualification to the Europa League.

Liverpool took part in this competition last season, going out in the knock-out stage to Portuguese side Braga 1-0 on aggregate.

In the FA Cup, they lost 1-0 to Manchester United in round three.

In the League Cup, Liverpool suffered humiliation after going out to lowly Northampton 4-2 on penalties.

Fulham’s run in the League Cup was ended by Stoke who beat them 2-0 at home in round three.

In the FA Cup, Fulham thrashed Peterborough 6-2 but then lost 1-0 to Bolton at Craven Cottage.

Premier League results

Fulham

August − Away vs Bolton 0-0.
Home vs Manchester United 2-2 (Davies, Hangeland).
Away vs Blackpool 2-2 (Zamora, Etuhu).
September − Home vs Wolves 2-1 (Dembele 2).
Away vs Blackburn 1-1 (Dempsey).
Home vs Everton 0-0.
October − Away vs West Ham 1-1 (Dempsey).
Home vs Tottenham 1-2 (Kamara).
Away vs West Brom 1-2 (Carson og).
Home vs Wigan 2-0 (Dempsey 2).
November − Home vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Hangeland).
Away vs Chelsea 0-1.
Away vs Newcastle 0-0.
Home vs Manchester City 1-4 (Gera).
Home vs Birmingham 1-1 (Dempsey).
December − Away vs Arsenal 1-2 (Kamara).
Home vs Sunderland 0-0.
Home vs West Ham 1-3 (Hughes).
Away vs Stoke 2-0 (Baird 2).
January − Away vs Tottenham 0-1.
Home vs West Brom 3-0 (Davies, Dempsey, Hangeland).
Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Johnson).
Home vs Stoke 2-0 (Dempsey 2, 1 pen).
Away vs Liverpool 0-1.
February − Home vs Newcastle 1-0 (Duff).
Away vs Aston Villa 2-2 (Johnson, Dempsey).
Home vs Chelsea 0-0.
Away vs Manchester City 1-1 (Duff).
March − Home vs Blackburn 3-2 (Duff 2, Zamora pen).
Away vs Everton 1-2 (Dempsey).
April − Home vs Blackpool 3-0 (Zamora 2, Etuhu).
Away vs Manchester United 0-2.
Away vs Wolves 1-1 (Johnson).
Home vs Bolton 3-0 (Dempsey 2, Hangeland).
Away vs Sunderland 3-0 (Kakuta, Davies 2).
May − Home vs Liverpool 2-5 (Dembele, Sidwell).
Away vs Birmingham 2-0 (Hangeland 2).
Home vs Arsenal 2-2 (Sidwell, Zamora).

Liverpool

August − Home vs Arsenal 1-1 (Ngog).
Away vs Manchester City 0-3.
Home vs West Brom 1-0 (Torres).
September − Away vs Birmingham 0-0.
Away vs Manchester United 2-3 (Gerrard 2, 1 pen).
Home vs Sunderland 2-2 (Kuyt, Gerrard).
October − Home vs Blackpool 1-2 (Kyrkiagos).
Away vs Everton 0-2.
Home vs Blackburn 2-1 (Kyrkiagos, Torres).
Away vs Bolton 1-0 (Rodriguez).
November − Home vs Chelsea 2-0 (Torres 2).
Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Torres).
Away vs Stoke 0-2.
Home vs West Brom 3-0 (Johnson, Kuyt pen, Rodriguez).
Away vs Tottenham 1-2 (Skrtel).
December − Home vs Aston Villa 3-0 (Ngog, Babel, Hernandez).
Away vs Newcastle 1-3 (Kuyt).
Home vs Wolves 0-1.
January − Home vs Bolton 2-1 (Torres, Cole J.).
Away vs Blackburn 1-3 (Gerrard).
Away vs Blackpool 1-2 (Torres).
Home vs Everton 2-2 (Meireles, Kuyt pen).
Away vs Wolves 3-0 (Torres 2, Meireles).
Home vs Fulham 1-0 (Pantsil og).
February − Home vs Stoke 2-0 (Meireles, Suarez).
Away vs Chelsea 1-0 (Meireles).
Home vs Wigan 1-1 (Meireles).
Away vs West Ham 1-3 (Johnson).
March − Home vs Manchester United 3-1 (Kuyt 3).
Away vs Sunderland 2-0 (Kuyt pen, Suarez).
April − Away vs West Brom 1-2 (Skrtel).
Home vs Manchester City 3-0 (Carroll 2, Kuyt).
Away vs Arsenal 1-1 (Kuyt pen).
Home vs Birmingham 5-0 (Rodriguez 3, Cole, Kuyt).
May − Home vs Newcastle 3-0 (Rodriguez, Kuyt pen, Suarez).
Away vs Fulham 5-2 (Rodriguez 3, Kuyt, Suarez).
Home vs Tottenham 0-2.
Away vs Aston Villa 0-1.