Immutable, inevitable

Fulham were relegated today after thirteen seasons in the Premier League.  One wag said the rot set in when the statue of Michael Jackson was removed from its plinth outside Craven Cottage, but Fulham were treading water towards the end of last season and had it not been for the changeover in ownership, Martin Jol might have been showed the door in the summer.  Mohammed al Fayed brought them up into the Premier League and sold his control of the club at exactly the right moment - Championship clubs being worth at least £60m less than those in the Premier League.
But Fulham could not overcome the iron law of the managerial merry-go-round.  While a coach/manager being replaced may or may not lead to an improvement in fortunes (Ryan Giggs finding out today some of the problems that plagued David Moyes when losing at home to a relegation-threatened side), having three managers (or more) in one season can only end in tears, partly because as the team is so bad, the owner will try anything to kickstart a turnaround but also because of the ensuing chaos that different managerial styles and strategems bring - it usually takes a pre-season or the best part of a season so that the players know exactly their positions.  There were a few good results under the reign of Felix Magath but a porous defence and inability to outscore any concessions could not be remedied when he was brought in after the transfer window closed.  A £12m Greek striker bought in January has still not registered a goal for Fulham and has dropped out of the starting 11.  Today's 4-1 drubbing at Stoke City was a chronicle of a death foretold.