English Premiership
Hughes set for Fulham job
2010-07-29 13:30
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London - Former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is set to be appointed as Fulham boss within the next 48 hours, according to reports in England on Thursday.
Hughes was said to have been contacted by Fulham after the west London club were unable to lure Ajax coach Martin Jol to Craven Cottage.
With the new Premiership season starting in just over two weeks, Fulham officials have been desperate to find a replacement for Roy Hodgson, who left earlier in pre-season to take over at Liverpool.
Hughes is understood to have reached an agreement over a three-year contract worth two million pounds a year after talks with Fulham and his family, who are currently based in the north of England.
An announcement is expected soon and the 46-year-old will bring in his own backroom staff that includes Mark Bowen, Kevin Hitchcock and Eddie Niedzwiecki.
Hughes is likely to be given around 15 million pounds to spend by Fulham chairperson Mohamed Al-Fayed and he will link-up again with chief executive Alistair Mackintosh, who he worked closely with during his time at Manchester City.
One of his first jobs will be to consider a mooted deal for Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa as well as attempting to persuade goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to stay at the club if Arsenal decide to increase their bid for the Australian.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea striker first came into management with the Wales national team and was close to guiding them to Euro 2004 but lost out in a playoff to Russia.
Hughes moved to Blackburn in 2004 and led Rovers to an FA Cup semi-final and UEFA Cup qualification.
Four years later he joined City but despite pushing the club into the top six, expectations changed when the Abu Dhabi United Group took charge and he was dismissed midway through last season.
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