Niemi: Players to blame

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After seven league games without a win - a run which has seen them plunge dangerously close to the Barclays Premiership's bottom three - the Cottagers chose to replace the Welshman with Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez on Tuesday night.

But the Finland international stopper, 34, is adamant that the Fulham hierarchy have singled out "magnificent" Coleman unfairly and insists the players are just as culpable. He said: "Our recent run of bad results wasn't down to him. It is us players who have to look at ourselves and say we haven't been good enough of late."

He added: "I know it has been a struggle in recent weeks for us. But I never thought I'd see a time where Chris Coleman was sacked.

"He has been nothing short of magnificent as boss of this club and I hope people will remember him for all the good things he has done for us.

"Cookie worked wonders for Fulham and, considering the size of this club, when you judge him you have to say he was fantastic over a long period.

"I reckon he will have no problems finding a new team to manage, if that's what he wants."

But despite his unhappiness at Coleman's dismissal, Niemi has vowed to give Sanchez his full backing.

"Now we must all try and re-focus for Lawrie Sanchez," he added in The Sun. "We have to take what he says on board and get those final few points we need to stay up as soon as we can."