Fulham ponder return to Cottage as funding is cut

Fulham are set to abandon plans to build a new stadium in London and will return to Craven Cottage. The move, which will involve a far cheaper redevelopment of the site on the banks of the Thames, will please fans but also indicates a reduction of ambition and expenditure from the club's owner, Mohamed Al Fayed. It may also lead to more questions over his long-term commitment.

The move means that Fulham will simply "bolt on" seats to the existing stands at the Cottage, their home for more than 100 years until this season, as part of a cut-price proposal. Plans to build a stadium have become more remote partly because of problems in identifying a suitable site but also because of costs.

Fulham abandoned a scheme to build a new 28,000-seat ground at Craven Cottage before Christmas because it was too expensive. There have been growing fears that Fayed has simply been planning to sell the prime site for residential development to recoup his £100m plus outlay on the club.

The issue has strained relations between Fayed and Fulham's fans. This was evident yesterday when a source at the club said that a return to the Cottage may be the best solution "if the fans are prepared to give up a degree of ambition".

Fulham will continue to play at Queen's Park Rangers Loftus Road stadium next season, while they try to reach agreement with Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham Council over a plan to ground-share at Stamford Bridge. However, council sources say that this is a remote possibility.

Fayed has also tentatively opened negotiations with his manager, Jean Tigana, to see whether or not he wants to stay. However, the Frenchman will have to take a pay cut from his salary of £1.2m. Tigana's three-year contract runs out in June and although he has indicated he wants to carry on it was thought that Fayed favoured a change.

The relationship between the two men, who met before last Saturday's game against Manchester United, has been difficult as Fulham have suffered an indifferent season after spending heavily in the past two years. It is unlikely that Tigana would accept a salary cut, especially if, as expected, Fayed will not commit more funds for players.

* The former Chelsea and Newcastle manager Ruud Gullit was yesterday unveiled as the new coach of the Dutch Under-19 side. Gullit, 40, will become an assistant coach of the senior team should the Dutch reach the finals of Euro 2004 in Portugal. He has signed a coaching contract lasting until after the 2005 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.