Fulham have appointed the French legend Jean Tigana as their new manager this morning.
The former AS Monaco boss will formally takeover from caretaker manager Karl-Heinz Riedle in July but will watch his new side at Tranmere Rovers this afternoon having signed a long-term contract at Craven Cottage. Tigana, who starred in France’s 1984 European Championship-winning midfield, took Monaco to the Ligue 1 title in 1997 and upset Manchester United in the Champions’ League quarter-finals a year later.
A club statement, which claimed that Fulham were the first club to announce their new managerial appointment via the internet, referred to the 52 year-old agreeing a deal that ‘potentially’ could last for five years. It continued:
“To attract a man of Jean Tigana’s football stature is a great coup for the club. Jean has not only played at the highest level he also has a proven track record of managerial success.”
Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed is said to have personally conducted the search for a new manager having sacked Paul Bracewell as the Whites dropped out of Division One play-off contention last month. The Cottagers’ had been linked with a succession of leading names, but Tigana was recommended to the Fulham board as a leading candidate by Eric Cantona.
