Felix Magath ready to get down to business at Fulham, but futures of Rene Meulensteen, Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins remain unclear

The future of Fulham's backroom staff should become clearer on Monday as newly appointed first-team manager Felix Magath looks to build on a constructive first day at the office.

On Friday, the bottom-placed west Londoners took drastic action in their bid to stave off relegation from the Barclays Premier League, ending Rene Meulensteen's 75-day reign and appointing Magath on an 18-month deal.

The news of the three-times Bundesliga champion's arrival was as impressive as it was bizarre, and has left the future of Meulensteen shrouded in mystery.

The deposed head coach was not mentioned in the club statement announcing Magath's appointment and went on the radio minutes later to claim chief executive Alistair Mackintosh had told him that he had been "released".

However, Press Association Sport understands Meulensteen has not been sacked by Fulham, nor have assistant manager Ray Wilkins or first-team technical director Alan Curbishley.

The latter duo are believed to have met with Magath on Sunday evening and an update on their futures could be made on Monday.

Until then, though, the questions will continue after the German, who is not set to speak to the media until a pre-match press conference later in the week, refused to shed any light on the situation.

"We signed last Friday night, so the time is too short to make up our mind about this stuff," he told Fulham TV in his first interview since taking charge.

"I have only time now to work with the players and prepare the team for the most important game next Saturday. We will talk about the stuff afterwards."

Magath's first match at the helm will be Saturday's trip to fellow strugglers West Brom.

It is a match the 60-year-old approaches pleasantly "surprised" by the qualities his new side showed in his first training session at Motspur Park.

"I know not only the German players, but the international players very well," said Magath, who has previously worked with Lewis Holtby, Sascha Riether and Ashkan Dejagah.

"I would think that we would have a team that has more potential than what we have shown.

"I am sure that we will do that in the next games, show our fans, who I hope will support us in our most important game next weekend against West Bromwich, that we can do better than our last games."

Asked if Fulham can beat the drop, Magath said: "Yeah, I am sure I can because I have done it sometimes before in Germany.

"I have taken over clubs in a similar situation to Fulham and I am very confident I can do it once more here in England with Fulham.

"I think 12 games are enough to keep them in the Premier League and we need confidence now. We need spirit and we will start next Saturday at West Bromwich.

"If the players, the staff and fans will support us 100 per cent and the players give 100 per cent in the next days, I am sure we have the potential to avoid relegation."

PA