Claudio Ranieri: 5 Managerial Candidates to Take Over at Fulham After the Italian's Departure

Fulham announced on Thursday that Claudio Ranieri would become their second managerial casualty of the season after a run of four consecutive defeat left them

Fulham announced on Thursday that Claudio Ranieri would become their second managerial casualty of the season after a run of four consecutive defeat left them firmly in the relegation zone.

Scott Parker has taken over their reigns at Craven Cottage as their new caretaker manager, but Fulham's hierarchy will be wasting no time at all in starting their hunt for a new head coach in one last desperate attempt to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

Here are a handful of names which could be linked with the job as their search for a new manager gets underway.

Sam Allardyce

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If you're in the aftermath of sacking your manager and still in the relegation zone, it's sod's law that Sam Allardyce will be linked with taking over in the dugout.

The former England boss guarantees effective football which more often than not works wonders for teams at the wrong end of the table, but Fulham appears to be too far gone for even Big Sam to rescue them from Championship football next season.

Combining the fact that Fulham's fate already seems to be set in stone, there seems little point in making an appointment which would go down like a lead balloon in the terraces at Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker

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It's going to be a baptism of fire for Scott Parker as he prepares to take over as Fulham's new caretaker manager.

But given how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has turned things around at Manchester United, former Fulham midfielder Parker could be the perfect manager to start a new chapter in the club's history - even if that means going down to come back up.

There aren't many around who know the club quite like Parker, so who better to get the players - and more importantly the fans - back on side.

Slaviša Jokanović

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It feels like just yesterday that we were thinking about potential managers who could replace Slaviša Jokanović at Fulham. But three months after the Serbian's departure, we're back to square one.

Managers returning to their former club after being sacked isn't unheard of, but for that to happen all within the same season is alien at the highest level of professional football.

That was until AS Monaco parted ways with Leonardo Jardim earlier this year, only to bring the 44-year-old back in at the Stade Louis II three months later following a disastrous spell in Ligue 1 without him.

Thierry Henry

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Speaking of AS Monaco and disasters...

The former Arsenal striker was brought in by Monaco in between Jardim's two spells with the club, but it proved to be a nightmare in Henry's first managerial gig.

Having previously been linked with a job in the Championship with Aston Villa, however, a clean slate could be exactly what Henry needs to prove he has what it takes to one day become a manager at one of Europe's biggest clubs. 

Steve Clarke

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It might not be an appoint which will get the hearts racing at Craven Cottage, but there are few better suited to the Fulham job than former West Brom and Reading manager Steve Clarke.

The 55-year-old moved back to Scotland after managerial gigs dried up south of the border, having last worked as a full-time head coach during the 2014/15 season before being moved into the backroom staff at Aston Villa.

He's spent the last 18 months with Kilmarnock and helped them fifth place finish in his first season in charge, arriving after the campaign had already started to replace Lee McCulloch in October.

Clarke's revitalised Killie are on course for a similar finish this season, but their manager could be convinced of a return to England if it means another shot in the Premier League.

Others

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David Moyes - The former Manchester United manager was last on the books with West Ham in 2018.

David Wagner - Compatriot Jan Siewert took over the reins at Huddersfield Town earlier this year as the Terriers looked to find a way off the foot of the table.

Carlos Carvalhal - Professional football has been without the Portuguese manager's Cantona-esc phrases since the end of the 2017/18 season.

Gary Rowett - The former Birmingham manager's big break was meant to come at Stoke City but the Potters released him after the turn of the year, although he still has a big reputation in the football league.