Fulham boss could be appointed this week – Rigg

Fulham hope to bring in a new head coach to replace the sacked Kit Symons in time for their trip to MK Dons on 21 November.

Speaking to the club’s official website, chief football officer Mike Rigg said the appointment could be made as early as this weekend.

He also revealed Symons was dismissed as he was falling behind his target, set in the summer, of securing a place in the top six.

Rigg said: “Kit was under no illusion, from the first day of pre-season, that the expectation was to be in the top six.

“We picked up two great results against Reading and Bristol City but we couldn’t afford to drop that momentum against Birmingham [the club lost 5-2 on Saturday].

“But it got to the point in that game where we just thought that was the pivotal moment. We’ve got 30 games left in the season, still enough to get back on track.”

Former Brentford boss Uwe Rosler, ex-Leicester manager Nigel Pearson and Paul Lambert, latterly of Aston Villa, are on the club’s shortlist.

Rigg added that the club want someone with a proven track record.

He said: “We’re not going for a manager. We’re focusing on a head coach, whose job is to focus on what’s going on on the pitch.

“There’s a lot of good people out there – there’s some people in work, some people out of work.

“We have to make sure we bring in a successful head coach, that has a proven track record but also fits in with the direction, strategically, that we want to go as a club. And ultimately that’s about getting back into the Premier League.

“The international break gives us the luxury of two weeks. The head coach could be in this weekend or it could take a little bit longer.

“Ideally we’d like to have someone in time for MK Dons.”