Fulham Sacks Martin Jol After 5 Straight Defeats

Martin Jol has been sacked by Fulham, with head coach Rene Meulensteen taking responsibility for the first team.Jol had been in charge since June 2011 and his dismissal comes on the back of five straight Premier League defeats that leaves Fulham 18th in the table."Our poor form and results this season are undeniable, and Fulham supporters deserve better," said Fulham's chairman, Shahid Khan in a statement.

Jol said: "I'm disappointed but there are better days ahead for Fulham." Khan acted following a 3-0 defeat at West Ham on Saturday, a game in which the Cottagers failed to register a single shot on target. "With more than half the season still ahead, an immediate change was necessary," added Khan."Martin was very gracious and I appreciate his understanding of the situation." Before his side played the Hammers, Jol had talked of how the outcome of that game and Wednesda's match against his former club Tottenham could decide his fate. Asked, after Fulham's disappointing defeat and display in east London, whether he was confident he would still be in charge against Spurs, he replied: "It is not in my hands." Meulensteen, 49, will now take charge of the team for Wednesday's match with Tottenham at Craven Cottage. He was appointed as head coach of Fulham on 13 November after a spell at Manchester United, where he worked alongside Sir Alex Ferguson between 2007 and last summer. "I appreciate the faith Mr Khan has put in me and will do my very best to honour his trust," said Meulensteen. "We aim to get Fulham back on track, starting Wednesday night."

Jol is the third managerial change in the Premier League this season after Ian Holloway left Crystal Palace on 23 October and Sunderland sacked Paolo Di Canio on 23 September.

The former Ajax, Hamburg and Spurs manager steered Fulham to ninth spot in his first season in charge at Craven Cottage in 2011-12.

Fulham finished 12th the following campaign but despite an opening day win at Sunderland, the Cottagers have struggled this term.

Since successive wins against Stoke and Crystal Palace in October, they have lost against Southampton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Swansea and West Ham.