"I'm sure this guy can get us to the championship."

[NIPOLOPO]

Al Fayed says he is pleased to welcome former Manchester City boss Hughes to the post.

"He is a nice guy. He is much better looking and I am sure that he will do a great job," he added.

"I am sure that there will be no complications. We have a great managing director and chief executive and we're happy to have someone like Mark in place."

Al Fayed added, in what Hughes will hope was tongue in cheek: "I'm sure this guy can get us to the championship."

Fulham

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Don't like the comments he makes about Hodgson. When he took over Fulham they were on the brink of being relegated. He really turned things around for them. They have much more to be grateful for than he does.

 

[NIPOLOPO]

Don't like the comments he makes about Hodgson. When he took over Fulham they were on the brink of being relegated. He really turned things around for them. They have much more to be grateful for than he does.

I concur. As the article points out he's their most successful manager ever. Al Fayeds' comments were quite disrespectful and in a bad taste. I'm sure Hughes will do his utmost to grant Al's wishes and sink 'em all the way down to the championship.

 

[NWgunner]

Agree with Klaus. It seems ridiculous, especially when they gave him a short-term contract too. To me, a short-term contract is both parties saying it may only be a brief appointment: from Hodgson's point of view it means he can move on to bigger things fairly easily and from the club's they can sack him cheaply.

Can't give a man a short contract and then accuse him of disloyalty.

 

[Armor for Sleep]

Unbelievable really. He should be thanking Hodgson for all that he's done rather than making pathetic jibes.

 

[Burnwinter]

Bit of a beatup, don't you think? As far as I can see Al Fayed refers to a great team that got great results, and how Hodgson has taken advantage of those results to win a move to a bigger club.

I think it's only natural for him to be disappointed, and if anyone has a right to refer to putting anything in connection with Fulham "where it is", it's Al Fayed.

Since he concludes by wishing Hodgson and Liverpool good luck I see nothing too wrong with it. Graceless phrasing at worst.

 

[Loylz]

Also that championship point was probably a way of hyping his team up and joking that they can win the title (championship).

 

[CrazyInLoveWithArsenal]

What a horrible man. Show some respect you dirty bastard!

 

[banduan]

I don't think he's intentionally showing disrespect. I just think he's clueless about football but, being fair, leaves it to the people who know better.

 

[albakos]

Yeah he showed disrespect to Hodgson, but you may not fully blame Fayed as well. He has invested lot of money in the club and although not successful he kept it running, because of his hobby.

He brought Hodgson from shadows, as he wasn't managing a club for several years. Once a better offer came in, he jumped ship. Here's to hoping he sinks the Scouse ship even deeper.

 

[Biggus]

Don't like the comments he makes about Hodgson. When he took over Fulham they were on the brink of being relegated. He really turned things around for them. They have much more to be grateful for than he does.

Indeed, and hes going to revive Liverpool too.

 

[otfgoon]

Don't like the comments he makes about Hodgson. When he took over Fulham they were on the brink of being relegated. He really turned things around for them. They have much more to be grateful for than he does.

Not really, I'm sure Fulham could have found another manager who could have kept them up. No one else in English football wanted to touch Hodgeson though after Blackburn, and he certainly would not have been managing a club like Liverpool.

Not that I think he's done anything wrong.

 

[Lord Dula]

al fayed's a tool - both mo-hum-med and dildo

 

[Biggus]

Yeah, he makes Hill-Wood look like a knowledgeable authority on the game.

 

[alonso14]

calling Hodgson a "bugger" was quite funny, in a sad way

 

[Clrnc]

Hughes won their first game 5-1 against...Werder Bremen :shock:

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Don't like the comments he makes about Hodgson. When he took over Fulham they were on the brink of being relegated. He really turned things around for them. They have much more to be grateful for than he does.

Not really, I'm sure Fulham could have found another manager who could have kept them up.

Maybe, but I'm not so sure. They were almost odds-even on going down that season when he took over. And not only did he keep them up, he improved them to the point where they reached the Europa League final only three years later.

I don't know about his reputation in England but Hodgson did some good work with Finland. He's always been highly rated in Scandinavia and Italy. He didn't need an olive branch from a club looking dead-on to be relegated to the Championship.

 

[Burnwinter]

This thread is still a beat-up. I think it's absurd to expect anyone involved with Fulham to be overjoyed at Hodgson jumping ship, all the more because of the success he enjoyed.

Al-Fayed's remarks barely even qualify as hard words.

 

[phenn]

I don't see much of anything wrong with his comments. Frankly I don't think he was being totally serious...

Mark Hughes is also much better looking than Roy Hodgson, as he mentioned. That photo with him pinching Hughes' cheeks is hilarious.