LONDON -- Fulham fired manager Rene Meulensteen and appointed Felix Magath on Friday, saying "action was required" in its bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Devin Booker Jersey . Magath, who has won three Bundesliga titles as a coach, signed an 18-month contract, the London club said in a statement. The German has a reputation for brutal training and fitness methods. His nicknames include "Torturer" and "Saddam." Fulhams statement failed to mention Meulensteen at all, but he later said he had been relieved of his duties after less than three months in the job. "They have hit the panic button on emotion and fear -- but hey ho, thats football," Meulensteen told the BBC. The firing came as a shock to many because the Dutchman appeared to be turning things around, getting a result against Manchester United and putting in a good effort against Liverpool despite losing in the last minute. But it wasnt enough for Fulham owner and chairman Shahid Khan. "Our club has shown promise in recent matches, but the fact is we have not won a league match since Jan. 1," Khan said. "Given our form, we can no longer merely hope that our fortunes will finally turn. And with 12 matches remaining and at least four points separating us from safety, we certainly can no longer post empty results. Action was required." The club is bottom of the table with 20 points from 26 matches. Magath has vast Bundesliga coaching experience, guiding Bayern Munich to back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and lifting the league trophy again with Wolfsburg in 2009. He has also coached other German teams, including Hamburg and Schalke. But he has never managed in the Premier League. The 60-year-old Magath recently ruled out becoming coach again at Hamburg, which is in its own relegation battle and which he led to European glory as a player. He hasnt coached since leaving Wolfsburg in October 2012. "Here we go again. Im coming back into football," Magath said on his Facebook account. "I am manager of Fulham with immediate effect. Its a fantastic working environment for any coach and footballer." Khan welcomed the Germans experience, saying he had faith Magath could lift Fulham out of the relegation zone. "Im especially impressed with the reputation Felix has for coming into clubs at difficult times, often late in the season, and lifting them to their potential and beyond," Khan said. "Felix knows that is precisely the task awaiting him at Fulham, and he made it abundantly clear that he wants and is ready for the opportunity." Fulham said it would make an announcement soon about the clubs backroom staff. The teams next match is Saturday at West Bromwich Albion, which sits four points above the Cottagers in 17th place. Meulensteen, who previously worked under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, was hired as Fulham manager after Martin Jol was sacked on Dec. 1. "I knew the owners were freaking out a little bit that there was the possibility of the club going down," Meulensteen told the BBC. "The way forward that we have discussed with the club was about longevity and in this case it is clearly an act of fear." Fulham held United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, but the team was beaten by a late penalty in a 3-2 loss to Liverpool on Wednesday at Craven Cottage. "I have not had a lot of time and people who came to the Manchester United and Liverpool games could see what I was trying to put in place," Meulensteen said. "I couldnt care less what they put in the statement, to be honest." T.J. Warren Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. Josh Jackson Jersey . "Well over 50 (per cent)," coach Claude Noel said Tuesday after practice, where the Jets were looking at ways to cut down the scoring chances theyve been giving away. http://www.basketballsunsauthority.com/jason-kidd-suns-jersey-c-11/ . UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport.Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - The National Football League Players Association has filed a federal lawsuit in a Minnesota court, asking to have last weeks ruling against suspended Vikings running back Adrian Peterson vacated. NFL-appointed arbitrator Harold Henderson last Friday upheld the NFLs indefinite suspension of Peterson for violating the leagues personal conduct policy. Henderson said the ruling was not unfair or inconsistent, as Petersons initial appeal had suggested. The NFLPA argued in its petition Monday that Hendersons decision is contrary to the essence of the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement; it defies fundamental principles of notice, fairness, and consistency; and it was rendered by an evidently partial arbitrator who exceeded the scope of his authority. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced last month that Peterson would be suspended without pay at least through the remainder of this season after the star running back pleaded no contest to a charge of misdemeanor reckless assault for striking his 4-year-old son with a wooden tree branch in May. The NFLPA, in a statement after the ruling, said it expected Petersons appeal to be denied because of what it called Hendersons relationship and financial ties to the NFL. Henderson is a former longtime NFL executive who dealt mostly in player and labor relations during his time with the league. The union, in its filing Monday, again reiterated its stance that the NFL is making it up as it goes along, in reference to the leagues decisions on suspensions related to the personal conduct policy. Under the NFL suspension, Peterson will not be considered for reinstatement prior to April 15 and he will forfeit six game checks. The union argued that Peterson was penalized under a revised personal conduct policy issued in late August, months after the inciddent occurred. Leandro Barbosa Jersey. The NFL beefed up the language in its policy in response to mounting criticism over the Ray Rice case. Rice won his appeal of an indefinite suspension levied by the commissioner in September for punching his now-wife in an Atlantic City Casino back in February. Goodell and NFL owners last Wednesday announced a revised policy on personal conduct, doing so, the NFLPA said, without the unions input. However, the CBA that was agreed upon in August 2011, gives the commissioners office the power to institute personal conduct penalties. On Monday, ABC News also broadcast audio tape of a phone conversation between Peterson and NFL executive Troy Vincent. Vincent, a former player and NFLPA president, told Peterson he would be subject only to a two-game suspension -- which was the maximum penalty for a first-time offender under the old policy and the initial penalty Rice was given for his transgression until videotape of Rices incident surfaced. During the appeal hearing, Vincent said he never promised Peterson anything and Henderson agreed in his ruling, saying Vincent didnt have the authority to make such promises. The tape, which was part of the appeal process, has Peterson asking Vincent if he would only be penalized two games. Vincent responded, Yeah, but added that Peterson would have to go through the process, which would include a hearing that the player did not attend. Peterson hasnt played since the Vikings season opener Sept. 7. The two-time NFL rushing champion was originally charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child, but pleaded no contest to the lesser misdemeanor offense after working out an agreement with the Montgomery County (Texas) district attorney. The 2012 NFL MVP avoided jail time and was placed on probation while receiving a $4,000 fine and an order to perform 80 hours of community service. Cheap Canadiens Jerseys Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Devils Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Senators Jerseys Cheap Flyers Jerseys Cheap Penguins Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Blues Jerseys Cheap Lightning Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Capitals Jerseys Cheap Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '