Fulham Owner and Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed believes that in Fulham boss Roy Hodgson he has found a man he may never have to sack after years of turmoil with his managers at Craven Cottage.
Micky Adams, Ray Wilkins, Kevin Keegan, Paul Bracewell, Jean Tigana, Chris Coleman and Lawrie Sanchez have all been entrusted with the first-team reins since Al Fayed's arrival in 1997 but Hodgson's appointment has ushered in a productive period of stability at the West London club.
With Fulham continuing to reap the rewards of Hodgson's managerial nous, Cottagers chairman Al Fayed gave his first interview for three years to ESPN Soccernet, and spoke frankly and openly about the future of his manager, the need for new technology and the importance of addressing the financial imbalance that threatens the survival of the smaller clubs in the Premier League.
When asked to respond to speculation surrounding the future of Hodgson, following interest from Sweden and Norway and more recent reports that the manager will be offered a new contract, Al Fayed responded: "I can't stop speculation within the media about certain subjects that they enjoy trying to mischief make with. Roy is committed to Fulham, and I have shown my support of him throughout. I have invested in his squad and supported him in all playing decisions, proving that I have belief in his ability and his future here.
"Quite simply, we have not sat down and discussed a longer term strategy yet, nothing more sinister than that, but this for some reason has caused speculation in the press which I can't control and do not appreciate. We have important matches to concentrate on, and when the time is right those conversations will of course take place."