Sunday Fulham Stuff (18/11/18)...

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Ranieri happy with Fulham transfer policy

Claudio Ranieri will have the same input over transfers at Fulham as his predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic did.

But Ranieri has suggested he will be happier with the club's recruitment policy than the Serbian, who was often at odds with the board over signings.

Jokanovic felt his own targets were ignored, but Ranieri says he is happy to work within the current set-up.

"I spoke with the chairman about this," he said. "There are some people that are working (on recruitment) and then they put to me some players.

"They show me the name and after I have to choose who is the right player for us. I am happy with that."

"For now I have to work with these players. I haven't met them all yet because of the international break. But already I love them. I want them to bring their best.

"After, if there is something, I can say to the chairman 'I need another player because I need this kind on the team' – that's another thing.

"I spoke with the chairman about it, and he said to me 'Claudio, if you need something, I am here'.

"But I said I want to see the players because, when you change the manager, the behaviour in the dressing room also changes.

"Some players maybe didn't play under the former manager, and with the new manager will give more, because maybe there is more feeling between the new manager and the player.

"I believe I have very good players, but now they have to show me the fighting spirit."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/ranieri-discusses-how-transfers-will-work-under-him-at-fulham

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Fulham owner will back me with new signings in January - if I need them - says Claudio Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri says the Fulham chairman will back him with more players in the January transfer window if he needs them - despite the club spending more than £100m in the summer.

The Italian, who replaced the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic last week, wants to persevere with the current group, which includes 12 summer additions, five of which were signed on Deadline Day.

Previous boss Jokanovic was often unhappy with the club's recruitment policy and felt his own suggestions were ignored - but Ranieri says he is happy to have targets put to him from which to choose.

"I spoke with the chairman about this," Ranieri said. "There are some people that are working (on recruitment) and then they put to me some players.

"They show me the name and after I have to choose who is the right player for us - I am happy with that.

"For now I have to work with these players. I haven't met them all yet because of the international break - but already I love them. I want them to bring their best.

"After, if there is something, I can say to the chairman 'I need another player because I need this kind on the team' - that's another thing.

"I spoke with the chairman about it, and he said to me 'Claudio, if you need something, I am here'. But I said I want to see the players because, when you change the manager, the behaviour in the dressing room also changes.

"Some players maybe didn't play under the former manager, and with the new manager will give more, because maybe there is more feeling between the new manager and the player.

"I believe I have very good players, but now they have to show me the fighting spirit."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11557033/fulham-owner-will-back-me-with-new-signings-in-january-if-i-need-them-says-claudio-ranieri

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'Without football I am without my life': Claudio Ranieri reveals he only feels the pressure when he is unemployed because he loves football

    Claudio Ranieri left French club Nantes after just one season in charge
    The 67-year-old replaced sacked predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham
    Fulham spent £100 million in the summer and pressure is on them to survive
    The Cottagers are rock bottom and haven't kept a clean sheet this season

Two weeks ago, Claudio Ranieri was enjoying trips to the theatre with his wife Rosanna and taking his young grandson Orlando on days out to Legoland Windsor.

Quality family time for a 67-year-old man unburdened by the stresses and strains of management. The Italian was without a job, having left Nantes after just one season in charge. A campaign that had started well but ended in conflict.

On these shores, though, Ranieri is still a man with the legacy of a miracle worker. Regardless of how prematurely it may have ended at Leicester City, Ranieri is remembered as the hero who led them to their fairytale Premier League title. Who could blame him for sticking with that ending?

Yet here he was, a fortnight later, at his first press conference as Fulham manager, having replaced sacked predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic at a club rooted to the foot of the table and haemorrhaging goals at an unprecedented rate.

Why do it? Why risk tarnishing the story with another chapter? To keep Fulham afloat would not be as monumental a feat as winning the title with Leicester but it's a hell of an ask. Leicester were 5,000-1 to win the league. Fulham are odds-on to go down.

'I love football," was the answer, as Ranieri put two fingers to his temple in the shape of a gun. 'Without football I am without my life.


The 67-year-old won the league with Leicester City when there had 5000-1 odds to do it

'A lot of you sometimes tell me about there being lots of pressure. "Are you nervous?" Yes, when I am without a job. Then I am nervous. Then I am under pressure.

'My wife tells me "Claudio, take a holiday." But without a job, I am anxious. When I have a job, I am calm.' It was as though he had never been away. Like the favourite band, back together on one final reunion tour, Ranieri enamoured his audience with hits from the old songbook. Out came the classics. There were 'dilly-dings', 'slowly-slowys', answers in English, French and Italian. It's not pizza for a clean sheet anymore, though. Now, it's a trip to McDonalds. Fulham are the only Premier League team yet to keep one. They must be hungry.

Fulham's chairman Shahid Khan will hope Ranieri enjoyed plenty of practice at Legoland. He's got a serious building job on his hands now. The blocks did not come cheap, either. A £100million summer spend and nothing but five points to show for it from 12 games.


Ranieri replaced Slavisa Jokanovic who was sacked by Fulham after a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool

Ranieri must - somehow - tighten Fulham up at the back while also getting the best out of Aleksandar Mitrovic. All of them, says Ranieri, need his "fighting spirit". He played down questions of loaning some of his old title-winners from Leicester in January.

"For me now, it is important to give them my best and try to do with the players the ambition to be safe at the end of the season," said Ranieri.

"I have said I don't look behind me. The fairytale, forget it. But in my shoulders, in my mind, there is all my career and I give to my players all my career. My knowledge I will give them. Everything. And I hope they can take my ambition. I am an ambitious man. I hope to stay here a long time."


The Cottagers have only five points this season and are yet to keep a clean sheet

"For me now, it is important to give them my best and try to do with the players the ambition to be safe at the end of the season," said Ranieri.

"I have said I don't look behind me. The fairytale, forget it. But in my shoulders, in my mind, there is all my career and I give to my players all my career. My knowledge I will give them. Everything. And I hope they can take my ambition. I am an ambitious man. I hope to stay here a long time."



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6401773/Claudio-Ranieri-reveals-feels-pressure-unemployed-loves-football.html