Brede Hangeland: I was convinced Mark Hughes was going to stay at Fulham

Brede Hangeland, Fulham (Getty Images)

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Fulham defender Brede Hangeland is excited about who the club’s new manager will be, but admitted he was shocked Mark Hughes decided to leave.

Hughes walked out on the Cottagers this week amid reports linking him with the vacant manager’s position at Aston Villa, but Hangeland was convinced the former Manchester City boss was going to stay.

“I was pretty sure that he was going to stay,” the Norwegian said, according to Sky Sports. “Now we will have a new manager and that will be exciting.

“I had a really good relationship with him. He came in with a new philosophy that demanded a lot from many, me included.

“It became better and better and we had an okay season. But now we must start again with a blank piece of paper.”

Meanwhile, Bjorn Helge Riise is hoping a change of manager could lead to increased chances in the first-team. The Norwegian has only made a handful of appearances since moving to Fulham in 2009 and spent the end of last season on loan at Sheffield United.

“Hughes has done a great job and he’s a really nice man and a good trainer. The only negative was that I didn’t get to play that much,” said Riise.

“It could be positive for me, but it wasn’t like I shouted when I got the message. The only thing I can do is get back and do my best, but I want to stay in London.”