Hughes poised for return to management with Fulham job
Published:Former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is on the verge of taking over at Fulham.
The Cottagers have been without a manager since Roy Hodgson left for Liverpool, and their search for a new boss has faltered.
Martin Jol looked set to accept the job until he decided to stick with Ajax in a last-minute change of heart, while Cardiff’s Dave Jones appears to have committed himself to the south Wales club.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has also been extensively linked with the Fulham vacancy, though it is thought that the Swede’s wage demands are too high.
It is Hughes, then, who has emerged as the favourite to take charge of the Europa League finalists, who are 11/1 to finish in the top six this season.
During his tenure at Blackburn, Hughes brought European football to Ewood Park despite having to operate with limited resources.
Fulham have a similarly modest transfer budget and wage bill, and their ambitions will be significantly less imposing than those of the Welshman’s former employers, Manchester City.
Should the Cottagers give Hughes a little money to spend, however, the former Wales and Blackburn chief’s nous in the transfer market could come to the fore.
The next Fulham manager – whether it is Hughes or a sudden alternative – is priced at 12/1 to become the next Premier League manager to leave their club.
The favourite in this particular market is Wigan boss Roberto Martinez, who is available at 5/1 to be the next top flight manager to lose his job.
How do you think Fulham will do this season? They are 7/1 to be relegated. See the full Barclays Premier League Betting Odds market.
