Fulham announced on Thursday that they have parted company with Claudio Ranieri after just three months in charge. Sam Dean analyses where it all went wrong .

Abandoning trusted principles

“Risk-free.” That was how Shahid Khan, Fulham’s owner, had described the appointment of Claudio Ranieri in November. Fulham needed to stop conceding goals, and the club's hierarchy had decided that Ranieri's methods would provide a solidity that could keep them in the Premier League.

In trying to improve the defence, though, Ranieri has abandoned so many of the principles - and the players - that underpinned Fulham’s rise from the Championship. Slavisa Jokanovic’s meticulous passing system was instantly dismissed in favour of a long-ball approach, and key men such as captain Tom Cairney and teenage sensation Ryan Sessegnon have been continuously ostracised under the Italian’s management.

This dramatic change of style and personnel has only served to anger Fulham’s supporters, and the substitution of Cairney against Southampton on Wednesday provoked a furious response from the travelling fans. Ranieri was the target for most of their frustration, but there is also resentment towards Tony Khan, Shahid’s son and Fulham’s vice-chairman.

A banner reading “Risk free? Are you watching Tony Khan?” was unfurled in the away end at St Mary’s, where Sessegnon was again a substitute. The 18-year-old was the Championship player of the season last year, and Fulham’s top scorer, but he has started only three matches since December 8th. Imagine the response from the thousands of fans who watched Fulham’s play-off final victory at Wembley in May if they had been told that, eight months later, 32-year-old Ryan Babel would be starting on their left wing instead of Sessegnon.