Fulham

John Arne Riise: 'Felix Magath is ruining Fulham'

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 26 August 2014

Former Fulham defender John Arne Riise denounces the coaching methods of Felix Magath and accuses the German of 'flushing the club's family values down the toilet'.

Former Fulham defender John Arne Riise has spoken out against the Felix Magath regime and accused him of 'flushing the club's philosophy down the toilet'.

Magath took charge of the Cottagers last season but could not prevent them from being relegated, and has now overseen four straight Championship defeats.

Riise, who left the London outfit after three years earlier this summer, has denounced the German's "ancient" coaching methods and criticised his dictatorial and impersonal treatment of his players by highlighting an incident as recent as this weekend, following the 5-1 loss to Derby County.

"With his arrival, they've flushed everything that the club stands for down the toilet," Riise told Norwegian TV. "His methods are ancient. I really like Fulham. It's a real family club with a great stadium, but with Magath everything gets flushed down the toilet.

"I spoke to a few players after the Derby match. Once they returned to London, Magath ordered a team meeting at 10.30pm. Then, the next morning, players were ordered to run for one hour, then another training session at 2.30pm. It's not the way to get the boys going.

"And [his] training methods are terrible. All football sessions are 11 vs. 11, working on tactics. Magath is silent for 40 minutes. It is a shame, but I fear for Fulham. Responsibility lies with Magath and the guys upstairs. They knew exactly what they were getting with this guy."

Fulham have reportedly identified former Tottenham Hotspur player and manager Tim Sherwood as a possible successor to Magath if they decide that a change is required in the coming weeks.