Hughes walked away from his post at Craven Cottage on Thursday after managing the club for just one full season, in which he guided them to an eighth-place finish. A clause in the Welshman's contract caused speculation regarding his future towards the end of last season, but the exit was nonetheless abrupt. Hangeland, who enjoyed rich form under Hughes, was confident he would continue the job in hand, but is excited by the thought of new management. "I was pretty sure that he was going to stay," said the Norwegian. "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, Hangeland's compatriot Bjorn Helge Riise, who was used scarcely by Hughes, admits a change in personnel could rejuvenate his career with the club, but took no satisfaction from the news. "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."
