HODGSON PRAYING TO FOOTBALL GODS FOR SURVIVAL
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is praying that after a season of twists and turns the football gods will continue to smile on them as they attempt, Houdini-like, to escape relegation.
Last Saturday Hodgson’s team moved out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day and know that a win against FA Cup finalists Portsmouth on Sunday will be enough to keep them in the Premier League.
When the former Blackburn boss took over as manager of the club in early January after Lawrie Sanchez was sacked, his sole job was to help Fulham survive the drop.
Unaided by injuries, he won only six points from his first nine games. But then came victory over Everton followed by an away win over fellow strugglers Reading – the club’s first on the road for 18 months.
He now thinks, after three wins in the last four games, his team believes they can avoid relegation.
Hodgson said: “We've been dead and buried. We were in a dire situation and we have been a very difficult situation for a long time.
“But it's nice now to have a chance to still be fighting in the final game. It's a tough task at Fratton Park, we know that.
“But we must be happy to have the possibility because a couple of weeks ago it didn't look like we had that chance.
“We'll be devastated if we lose. All of us here have wanted to keep Fulham in the Premier League. It's been our dream.
“It looked for quite a long time that it would be something we'd have to forego and come to terms with the reality of the Championship.
“All of a sudden we've had a reprieve and if we win our last game maybe we won't be relegated.
“We have to do our best and hope the football gods smile upon us.”
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is praying that after a season of twists and turns the football gods will continue to smile on them as they attempt, Houdini-like, to escape relegation.
Last Saturday Hodgson’s team moved out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day and know that a win against FA Cup finalists Portsmouth on Sunday will be enough to keep them in the Premier League.
When the former Blackburn boss took over as manager of the club in early January after Lawrie Sanchez was sacked, his sole job was to help Fulham survive the drop.
Unaided by injuries, he won only six points from his first nine games. But then came victory over Everton followed by an away win over fellow strugglers Reading – the club’s first on the road for 18 months.
He now thinks, after three wins in the last four games, his team believes they can avoid relegation.
Hodgson said: “We've been dead and buried. We were in a dire situation and we have been a very difficult situation for a long time.
“But it's nice now to have a chance to still be fighting in the final game. It's a tough task at Fratton Park, we know that.
“But we must be happy to have the possibility because a couple of weeks ago it didn't look like we had that chance.
“We'll be devastated if we lose. All of us here have wanted to keep Fulham in the Premier League. It's been our dream.
“It looked for quite a long time that it would be something we'd have to forego and come to terms with the reality of the Championship.
“All of a sudden we've had a reprieve and if we win our last game maybe we won't be relegated.
“We have to do our best and hope the football gods smile upon us.”
Labels: Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier League, Roy Hodgson
