The Roy Hodgson managerial saga has been difficult to follow as a fan of the Cottagers. My initial thought was if Hodgson leaves the team could be in trouble. I have had time to think about it and I have changed my mind on the future of Fulham. Even if Hodgson leaves for another club or England, Fulham can move on and possibly prosper.
As a fan of the New England Patriots I have dealt with coaching rumors before. There were rumors about Bill Parcells leaving for the New York Jets right before the Super Bowl in 1997. It was difficult to read because just like this situation I was concerned about the future of my team. Those rumors turned out to be true and Parcells left. The Patriots started to go downhill for the next three seasons. Then, they brought in a new coach who eventually led the team to 3 Super Bowl titles. Sometimes you can take a step back before moving forward. In the end, Parcells leaving was one of the best things to happen to the Patriots. They eventually received the greatest American football coach of all time in Bill Belichick.
My point with Fulham is if Hodgson leaves it does not mean the end for the club. It is possible to move on. Fulham might take a step back at first, but I have faith they would eventually move forward. It starts at the top with ownership. As long as Mohamed Al Fayed is the owner of Fulham I think the club will be fine.
The perception of the club I think is already changing. There are many players from other clubs that have been rumored to have interest in coming to Fulham. That happens to be a great sign. Another great sign is that Fulham look like they are trying to hold off from selling some of their best players. Some might leave, but I can already see that the management of Fulham are trying hard to keep their team in tact.
There can be a second chapter to Fulham. It doesn't have to end if Hodgson leaves. I have faith that ownership and management will continue to try to make the club better.
Even if Fulham get relegated they will still be the team I will support. I have confidence though you will be seeing the Cottagers in the EPL for a long time. Regardless of the Hodgson situation Fulham can move on.