Sir Alex Ferguson's former first-team coach is hopeful his partnership with Martin Jol will prove fruitful and secure Premier League football next season at Craven Cottage
New Fulham coach Rene Meulensteen is confident his experience at Manchester United will help improve the struggling club's fortunes.

The 49-year-old spent nearly 12 years at Old Trafford, over two seperate spells, and saw United win three Premier League titles and one Champions League while first-team coach.

Fulham, meanwhile, can boast just 10 points from their opening 11 top-flight games as they slipped to 18th in the table - but Meulensteen feels he can help Martin Jol in the same way he aided Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I have been in England now for 12 years and worked in every department at Manchester United, and the last five years as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, so I know the Premier League well," he told Sky Sports News. "It is obviously different being with Manchester United, we had different ambitions which were quite clear, but hopefully my experience and expertise will help Fulham climb up the table.

"It will work very similar to how I worked with Sir Alex Ferguson. Martin is obviously a very, very experienced manager in the game. I think it comes to a time in his life - as a manager as well - when he has got experience and he wants to step back a little bit and give the groundwork over to somebody like myself. I think we can perfectly work well together.

"People must not forget that Fulham have played a lot of strong teams already. They've played Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United so they have had a tough run. I think the key is now making sure that hopefully I can bring a new sort of energy to the whole place because they have got good enough footballers. Fulham is a football team, that's what they are good at.

"They just need to make sure they do the basics right, take responsibility, be disciplined and work hard and then the results will come."

Meulensteen's arrival at Craven Cottage sees him reunited with for United striker Dimitar Berbatov, and he is hoping to get the Bulgarian firing on all cylinders once more after scoring just once this term.

He added: "It is without doubt the talent Dimitar brings to the table and also it is very clear sometimes the frustration that goes with it.

"But I think that what you get with that sort of player, they are geniuses in some ways and I always find it a challenge to make sure that we can serve those players in the right way that they can bring out the best in themselves and serve the best purpose for the team."