Former Bayern Munich manager – and one-time target for Al Ain – Felix Magath has been appointed new Fulham manager, taking over from Rene Muelensteen, who was also considered by the reigning UAE league champions.
Former Manchester United head coach Meulensteen had been in charge of the Cottagers for little more than two months after being promoted from within the club's backroom staff to replace fellow-Dutchman Martin Jol on December 1.
However, Wednesday's 3-2 home defeat by Liverpool left the Cottagers four points adrift of safety. And that was enough to persuade Fulham owner Shahid Khan, a Pakistan-born US-based businessman, to sack Meulensteen.
It was the second time this season Meulensteen had been dismissed after he was fired just 16 days into his time in charge of Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in August.
Fulham's official statement on Magath made no mention of Meulensteen but their former manager, confirming his departure, accused the Cottagers of "freaking out" and "hitting the panic button on the emotions of fear".
German manager Magath led Bayern to successive Bundesliga titles in 2005 and 2006, before achieving the same feat with Wolfsburg, whom he left in 2012.
Last summer, Magath was in the running to replace Cosmin Olaroiu at Al Ain when the Romanian joined rivals Al Ahli.
Indeed, a source close to Magath told Sport360 that he was "very keen" to take over The Boss, although the club eventually opted to appoint Uruguayan Jorge Fossati – who only lasted until the eve of the new season.
Al Ain was not Magath's first flirtation with UAE football. The 60-year-old was in talks with Al Jazira in November 2012 when then-manager Paulo Bonamigo was under increasing pressure. The Abu Dhabi giants decided to appoint former Spain under-23 boss Luis Milla, who endured an ill-fated eight months at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
"I am very happy to welcome Felix Magath to Fulham Football Club," Khan told Fulham's website. "Felix is an accomplished manager with multiple honours in the Bundesliga and a hunger to replicate his success with Fulham in the Barclays Premier League.
"I'm especially impressed with the reputation Felix has for coming into clubs at difficult times, often late in the season, and lifting them to their potential and beyond.
"Our club has shown promise in recent matches, but the fact is we have not won a league match since January 1. Given our form, we can no longer merely hope that our fortunes will finally turn.
"And with 12 matches remaining and at least four points separating us from safety, we certainly can no longer post empty results. Action was required."
Khan added that Magath, appointed on an 18-month contract, had been chosen on a recommendation from Fulham chief executive Alistair Mackintosh that received "my complete approval".
Only last weekend Meulensteen guided Fulham to a 2-2 draw away to champions Manchester United and they were within seconds of another creditable point against Liverpool, the Premier League's form team.
Similarly to Magath, Meulensteen had held talks with Al Ain following the departure of Fossati, only for the club to appoint former Al Ahli and Atletico Madrid boss Quique Sanches Flores.
A "disappointed" Meulensteen told BBC Radio Five: "You need to try and make things better as soon as you can, but you're playing with a deck of cards that are not yours.
"I haven't really been given any time to make that work. I thought the performance against Manchester United and Liverpool were very, very good and it was unfortunate that we did not pick up the points that we deserved.
"Twelve games to go, plenty of points to play for and I'm sure we would have turned it around.
"I've not been told anything. I knew the owners were freaking out and panicking about the fact that Fulham could get relegated, but they've had that sort of attitude already 10 games back.
"They've hit the panic button on emotions of fear, but hey-ho, that's what happens in football. It's not always fair."
