/world sport
English Premier League club Fulham have appointed Roy Hodgson as their new manager.
Hodgson had mixed fortunes in his previous post in the Premiership, with Blackburn Rovers.
The 60-year-old much-traveled Englishman will watch the struggling London team at Birmingham on Saturday before taking command at a training session with the squad on Sunday.
It will be Hodgson's second venture into the Premiership. He took charge at Blackburn in 1997 but after taking them into the UEFA Cup departed in ignominious circumstances in November 1998, when the side had won only two league games.
That was a low point in a generally distinguished career, which has taken him to many countries.
He guided the Swiss international team to the 1994 World Cup and the European Championship finals two years later. He steered Inter Milan to the UEFA Cup final in one of his two stints with them and was a strong candidate for the national team coach posts with Germany and England.
He had spells in charge of the United Arab Emirates and Finland and has managed club sides in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Norway and Denmark
Fulham sacked Lawrie Sanchez as manager on December 21 after the club fell into the Premier League's bottom three and they are still in the relegation zone.
They have been under the control of caretaker manager Ray Lewington, who will take charge for the game at Birmingham. On Boxing Day they crashed 5-1 at Tottenham
"I am determined that we will overcome the current position," Hodgson told Fulham's official Web site.
"I understand that it will be a challenge, but one that I will relish."
His first game in charge will be the local derby at home to Chelsea on New Year's Day.
Fulham's last league win was on November 3 against Reading and they have lost five of their seven league games since.
"After long talks with the chairman and the board I am convinced that we can take the club to a new level," said Hodgson.
Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed said: "It is my vision to combine the best of the fantastic traditions of the English Premier League with the flair and innate professionalism of the continental game, which I hope will return Fulham to its tradition of playing attractive passing football."
"I believe that Roy has immense experience in all areas of football and can drive this club forward for the long term.
"My commitment to this club has never dwindled and I am more than ever determined that we have the right man to turn round our current predicament and build for a successful future." E-mail to a friend 
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