Thursday 28 February 2019 21:04, UK
Roy Hodgson is 100 per cent certain Claudio Ranieri "did nothing professionally" to deserve being sacked by Fulham.
The Cottagers parted ways with Ranieri after less than four months in charge, the Italian paying the price for a record of three wins in 17 games.
His assistant Scott Parker has been placed in caretaker charge until the end of the season.
"Fulham are a club very close to my heart," said Hodgson, speaking at the London Football Awards. "I had two-and-a-half wonderful years there and it's sad to see they've taken this type of decision.
"I feel a lot of empathy with Claudio Ranieri. He came in to do the job that was asked of him and has done it with great dignity.
"Obviously it has been hard for him to turn around results which were not there in the first place when he came.
"They've had two very good coaches in [Slavisa] Jokanovic and Ranieri and lost them both. I suppose they'll have to look for a third one.
"My sympathy is always with the manager in that situation because I'm 100 per cent certain Ranieri has done nothing professionally to deserve it."
