By Phil McNulty Chief football writer

Tigana has left Fulham Photos of Tigana's reign

Mohamed al Fayed and Jean Tigana once toasted their success in style when Fulham's manager unveiled a new white wine at Harrod's.

The wine may still taste good - but their relationship turned sour and the Frenchman has left the club with relegation from the Premiership a real possibility.

Fulham's owner once described Tigana as "The Maestro", but he has paid the price for failing to realise Al Fayed's dream of making Fulham "the Manchester United of the south".

Al Fayed's boast was over-optimistic to everyone apart from the Egyptian himself, who has never wished to be associated with failure.

Tigana established Fulham in the Premiership with relative safety last season.

But a terrible recent run of form - three straight defeats and a draw - leaves the Cottagers just six points off the drop zone with five games left.

And with those fixtures being against Newcastle, Leeds, Chelsea, Everton and Charlton, caretaker boss Chris Coleman faces a difficult task to keep Fulham in the Premiership.

The Baresi affair

Al Fayed has realised he was wrong to announce Tigana's contract would not be renewed before the end of the season.

Now the Egyptian has decided to cut his losses and dismiss Tigana before the club slip into further trouble.

Yet it was evident far earlier in the season that Tigana could not match the ambition of the owner who refused to set his sights anywhere other than the summit.

Tigana's reign would be regarded as a success by many, having taken Fulham out of the First Division at the first time of asking, then surviving in the Premiership and taking the club into the Uefa Cup.

He also dragged Fulham into the modern age in terms of training and technique, with dentists being employed to monitor players' health, and experts from the British Olympic Medical Centre giving trials and tests to the squad.

But this was not enough for Al Fayed, who become increasingly unhappy with the return on his investment.

He also became embroiled in the controversy over whether the club would ever return to Craven Cottage after their stint at Loftus Road.

Tigana never appeared settled after the bizarre Franco Baresi affair, when the legendary Italian was appointed director of football in June.

Al Fayed engineered the appointment, but Tigana and Baresi never seemed at ease and the arrangement was terminated after three months.

The early success was achieved with a massive outlay on players, such as the combined �14m paid to Lyon for Steve Marlet and Steed Malbranque.

Fulham's low-profile cost them the services of several stars as Tigana attempted to take the club to the next level

Tigana's reputation as a French title winner with Monaco and a world-class former international midfield man - combined with Al Fayed's charisma and cash - also attracted stars like Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar from Juventus.

And so emphatic was Fulham's march into the Premiership, they were ludicrously over-blown as title outsiders at the start of last season.

But Fulham's low-profile presented problems for Tigana, who admitted it cost them the services of several stars as he attempted to push the club on to the next level.

A move for Valencia's John Carew collapsed, while John-Arne Riise chose Liverpool instead of Fulham.

And this season has been played out against the backdrop of uncertainty about the future direction and home of Fulham.

Al Fayed will hope Coleman can make Premiership football next season a certainty for the Cottagers.