Anyone know anything about him? How is he with young players? All I know is that he has enjoyed a relatively successful managerial career, and has won three Bundesliga titles, but has never worked outside of Germany; he had Dejagah at Wolfsburg; and that Holtby and he didn't exactly hit it off.
Wikipedia has this great line about him, who knows if it's true or not. As a manager, Magath quickly gained respect and became notorious for his hard, grinding training methods, laying heavy emphasis on discipline, fitness and conditioning. Players gave him nicknames like "Saddam" (Saddam Hussein) or “Quälix”, a rhyming mash of his first name Felix and the German verb “quälen” (to torture).[8] He was once described by former Eintracht Frankfurt player Bachirou Salou as the "last dictator in Europe" Oh Dear don't panic Captain Mainwaring don't panic.....We're doomed I tell you, All Doomed
C58, I've just read some articles - it appears that he's a bit of a dictator. Ridiculous training sessions and players breaking down in tears. I think he'll sort out any fitness issues we might have, but team moral may suffer slightly. It's a good job Ruiz, Berba and Tarrabt are no longer with us!
Guardian reports that we went for Advocaat first and he couldn't be persuaded. Felix had been on the point of returning to Hamburg but wanted a seat on the Board, which they weren't willing to give so Fulham stepped in. I guess he's a very wealthy man so probably had no need to try and get back into work and could wait and see what came to him.
It's been a bit of a shambles ever since Jol was sacked. He should have gone after the Cardiff game but kept on till after the West Ham away game. Then Mulensteen takes over after coming in to help Jol, but isn't named manager but Head Coach!!!! Then Wilkins takes over from Kit Symonds, then they bring in Curbishly and everyone thinks is he going to be manager, but no he sits up in the stands!!!!. Now I recon Khan and Mackintosh started looking at Magath after losing to Sheffield United, only for performances to pick up in the next two games too late for Mulensteen. Panic button pressed lets hope as Tony Gale says it works. What happens to Wilkins and Curbishly now ?
Some interesting tweets tonight about him from Jan à ge Fjørtoft who played under Magath at Frankfurt: Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 5h "Whether Felix Magath would have saved the Titanic, I do not know. However, the survivors would have been in top shape." Jan Fjortoft 2001. Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 5h Dear Fulham-fans! Never will you say again: - Players didn't run enough - Players don't train enough - The boss is not clear enough #FFC Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Felix Magath! Once we were finished running at our TrainingCamp a player had disappeared. We had to look for him. Found him. Had collapsed Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Felix Magath! Once Magath asked a player to come to his dressing-room. Player came. Sat with him 10 mins. Not a word said. Magath: U can go Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Magath fines! In Wolfsburg a player got 10 000 euro fine for not being loyal to the tactic Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Magath Fines 2 In Schalke 2 players changed position at a corner. At the halftime!! Magath gave both players a 10 000 euro fine Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Magath MindGames! Sorry Mourinho! Compared with Magath you are League Two Jan Aage Fjortoft ‏@JanAageFjortoft 4h Magath being the doctor in Frankfurt. If a player was injured (he didn't always believe them) - they had to rund around the pitch 2 hours It looks like we've got the strictest manager in the league now, he makes Di Canio seem like a push over.
Okay so this is one player, who clearly doesn't like him, and it's his personal view. However, the more I read the more impressive this guys CV is. He scored the winning goal in a European Cup Final, had a very distinguished playing career, in fact, and he's managed teams to titles and cups (and not just the big hitters) plus he has saved several from relegation. It's still a panic appointment from the club, but it's not a stab-in-the-dark one, which Rene's appointment was in all honesty. Felix has a proven track record. Yeah, he does seem to be my way or the highway but then that is not necessarily a bad thing in a sport where player ego's are some times pampered to the detriment of the rest of the team (ahem, Mr B & Mr R, looking at you now). And he certainly isn't your usual Fulham type of manager, but, if he spurred us on to league and cup success, I wouldn't give a toss what he did to the players. He could use thumb screws on them for talking on the team bus for all I would care if we started picking up honours. And, please God, let Mr Ruiz come back from loan and stay with us. Just so this guy could kick your arse from here to Glasgow and back and actually make you work for your wages and put in some effort on the pitch . Vindictive, Me? Feel sorry for Rene, who was a decent guy, but quite optimistic about Felix.
He sounds similar to Hodgson, drills, organised, fitness. Youve all got to admit that all season players havent lssted long enough. Terrible fitness. This will change although I would have thought it might tske a month or two to achieve. He's got experience and good credentials in Bundeslegia titles. I don't agree that AM has suddenly become a crap CEO. I think he has been excellent since he arrived. its just been a difficult couple of seasons. Its no coincidence that our youth set up has come on leaps and bounds in his tenure. My thoughts on it he probably felt insecure with a new boss. This then had an effect on things from pre season onwards. New owner, hedging his bets, minimal investment when it was urgently required equals difficult times ahead.
One reads that Felix is a fitness fanatic. if our team had a higher fitness level we would not have conceeded so many goals in the last 15min or so of so many games so lets hope his regime works.
Being a fitness freak may well be a good thing if you have a full pre-season to prepare the team and get them fit, but making them run like Forest Gump from here to the rest of the season probably won't help us, it will just tire out the players even more. Darren Bent will have been crying his eyes out last night.
ok fair point but when you compare club football. Magath involved with Hamburg in some capacity on the verge of joining...they are in deep trouble as well. Sounds familiar.
Okay, its been a pr disaster but I think this guy can save us and keep us in the Premiership. If I've got this right and correct me if I'm wrong, FM has: Won 3 league titles Won 2 FACups (equivalent) Come second in league once Saved 2 clubs from relegation with similar budgets/size of club Semi final of Champions League the season after coming second in the league All in 10 years?he was sacked at Schalke whikst in 10th position. Signed Edin Dzeko for 3m and they sold him for 35m! Plus found a few other bargains in the process too. Philip lahm And this guy has come to Fulham rather than Hamburg, his 'home' club where he won the European Cup. Oh and he was an international player that played in the team that won the Euros in the 80's! I repeat he's come to Fulham. This is just sinking in for me. I do wish RM well but my whole thinking has changed. I was resigning myself to the thought that it will be fine to go down as I didn't really believe, deep down, RM could have kept us up.
