History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

ZAMORA STRIKES AGAIN AS FULHAM DOWN SWANSEA

Roy Hodgson had predicted that Bobby Zamora’s first Premier League goal in 1,763 minutes, scored in Sunday’s triumph over West Bromwich Albion, would provide the confidence for the forward to bag many more. And so it proved last night as the 28-year-old broke Swansea City’s hearts with a late winning header at Craven Cottage to end a scintillating FA Cup Fifth Round replay.

Zamora, a summer signing from West Ham, earned more praise from his manager on Tuesday night. “He could have had four or five,” said Hodgson, whose side have still only lost one game at home all season.

“A number of times he was within a millimetre of reaching the ball, the goalkeeper made three good saves and he scored a very good goal. I thought his performance was quite outstanding. His target play, his linking up with other players is just what we hoped we would get from him.”

Hodgson had witnessed his side 2-0 defeat of West Brom only 52 hours before kick-off and one could understand his complaints to the Football Association about his players being fatigued.

Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez came close early on for the visitors but found Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in inspired form, in particular in the 28th minute when the Spaniard’s low-struck spot-kick deflected off the bottom of the wall and hit the former Middlesbrough stopper’s trailing leg.

That close call seemed to shake Fulham from their torpor as they had the better of the remainder of the half. Colossal central defender Brede Hangeland came closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval. But his thumping header from a Simon corner only found the Swansea crossbar.

However, it was the visitors who drew first blood through Scotland. The 30-year-old striker was found by Mark Gower just inside the Fulham box and, with too much space for Hodgson’s liking, toe-poked his effort to the left of Schwarzer’s groping hand – it was his 14th goal in 15 games.

The home side began to pepper Dorus De Vries’s goal and their persistence finally paid off when American Clint Dempsey nodded in Davies’s corner in the 76th minute. Zamora competed the scoring three minutes later and earned his side their first FA Cup quarter-final in five years. They host World Champions Manchester United in the last-eight.

“United will be the favourites,” grinned Hodgson, “but they will have their distractions, too. Why can’t we win? I was surprised at the players energy level tonight – they were incredible. I can’t praise the team enough.”

Losing manager Roberto Martinez added: “I’m extremely proud of the players but we are very disappointed to lose. We controlled the game for long spells. Over 180 minutes I thought we deserved to be the side to go through but we did not get that little bit of luck you need in the FA Cup.”

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Davies, Dacourt (Murphy 59), Etuhu (booked 3), Dempsey (Kamara 89); Nevland (Gera 59), Zamora.

Subs: Zuberbuhler, Milsom, Kallio, Baird.

Swansea (4-4-2): De Vries; Rangel, Williams (Bessone 89), Serran, Tate; Dyer, Gower (Tudur-Jones 55), Britton, Gower; Scotland, Bauza (booked 69, Butler 72).
Subs: Cornell, O'Leary, Orlandi, Collins.

Referee: Mark Halsey

Labels: Bobby Zamora, FA Cup, Fulham, Roy Hodgson, Swansea City

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:15 am | Permalink | Comments

GERMAN CLUBS IN FOR FULHAM MIDFIELDER

Leon Andreasen looks set to bring his disappointing spell at Fulham to an end and return to Germany in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who Roy Hodgson signed from Werder Bremen for an estimated £2.5m last January, is being chased by Bundesliga sides Hannover, Schalke04, Frankfurt and Dortmund.

Andreasen has played only 18 times for Fulham and is believed to want to leave London - and Hannover are in pole position.

Christian Hochstaetter, Hannover's technical director, confirmed his club's interest in signing the midfielder who has won 12 caps for Denmark.

Andreasen is expected to cost somewhere in the region of £2m, though as the Bundesliga does not restart until January 30 a deal will not be rushed.

Labels: Bundesliga, Fulham, Hannover, Leon Andreasen, Schalke 04

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:51 pm | Permalink | Comments

HODGSON WARY OF DI MICHELE THREAT

Roy Hodgson believes that West Ham’s new striker David Di Michele is like Italian legends Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero.

The Fulham manager coached Di Michele while at Udinese seven years ago, and is surprised that Torino have loaned the six-cap Azzurri star to West Ham, who go to Fulham on Saturday.

Fulham have not beaten the Hammers at home in the league since 1966, and Hodgson reckons they will have to stop Di Michele to buck the trend.

"He is a very skillful player and someone who is very adept in front of goal," Hodgson said of the 32-year-old hitman, who scored a match-winning brace last weekend on his debut against Newcastle United.

"He is very good at sniffing out goal chances and then taking them because he has very good technique and manipulates the ball very well.

"I have been surprised by his career in some respects that he has moved on so many times - he has had a lot of clubs. With the talent he has you would have expected him to be like a Del Piero or a Baggio.

"He is a good signing for West Ham and he has started off like a house on fire. We shall be very aware of his goal-scoring ability and we will try to make it hard for him to find the space he needs. But we will have a job on our hands."

And Hodgson is hopeful that his own new signing, Bobby Zamora, is ready to show his old club what they are missing.

"He was highly rated at Upton Park and I spoke to [ex-manager] Alan Curbishley very recently and he said that he was very disappointed that he had to let Bobby go," continued Hodgson.

"Whenever players play against their old club they always have that extra bit of spring in their step. I’ve been very impressed with him, with his attitude.

"Bobby is very keen to be here, keen to work and interested in what we do tactically. So far he has very much been the player thought I was signing."

Labels: David Di Michele, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:47 pm | Permalink | Comments

HODGSON LOOKING FORWARD TO AJ-ZAMORA PARTNERSHIP

Roy Hodgson can't wait for the day when he inks Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora's
names on his Fulham team sheet, as he believes that the two summer signings
will form a formidable attacking partnership.

Former Everton forward Johnson will not feature on Saturday when Fulham host
Arsenal - Hodgson wants the 27-year-old to have fully shaken off his thigh
strain. The £10.5m man now looks likely to make his debut against Bolton next
month.

"I'm not very hopeful that [Johnson] will play against Arsenal," said Hodgson
of the England international.

"Due to the transfer taking a long time, and due to Everton not using him for
fear that he might be transferred, he has not had much chance to get match fit.

"We will use the three-week period between Arsenal and Bolton to make certain
that we get him into tip-top condition, not just medically but also
physically."

Hodgson is licking his lips at the prospect of pairing Johnson with Zamora, who
cost £4m from West Ham last month. He continued: "It is the partnership that we
have prepared for.

"It will take a little time to work - the greatest partnerships in the past,
like Toshack and Keegan, or Rush and Dalglish, didn't get great overnight. They
came from playing together for long periods of time.

"We do the work on the training pitch but it is seeing it succeed in matches
that really make people believe in good partnerships. We are confident that we
can get that partnership working well."

Labels: Andy Johnson, Arsenal, Bobby Zamora, Everton, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:19 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM NOT TO RISK AJ

Roy Hodgson will not risk his £10.5m summer signing Andy Johnson against Arsenal on Saturday as he wants him to be 100 per cent fit.

The former Everton forward, 27, has been struggling to shake off a thigh strain and is now likely to make his debut against Bolton next month.

"I'm not very hopeful that he will play against Arsenal," said Hodgson of the England international. "He is quite close to full fitness and he is improving.

"But due to the transfer taking a long time, and due to Everton not using him for fear that he might be transferred, he has not had much chance to get match fit.

"The chances are we will use the three-week period we have between Arsenal and Bolton to make certain that we get him into tip-top condition, not just medically but also physically.

"There are 46 matches after the Arsenal game and it is very important for me to have Andy Johnson up and running and fully fit for those matches.

"We need to get him up to something like the level of physical fitness that is required to play at this level.

"I don't want to throw him in early because it is a very tempting thing to do."

Labels: Andy Johnson, Arsenal, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:18 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM AFTER VIERA-TYPE PLAYER

Roy Hodgson believes a Patrick Viera-type midfielder would be the final piece in the jigsaw for Fulham. Manager Hodgson, whose team host Arsenal tomorrow (SAT), thinks a battling defensive player will allow his attacking midfielders more licence to roam.

He has money in his transfer kitty after central midfielder Steven Davis' move to Rangers was confirmed on Thursday.

More cash could be on the way after Davis' Northern Ireland team-mate David Healy completed a medical at Sunderland, while Moritz Volz is on his way to Ipswich.

"There is a space in the midfield group for another player now," said the 61-year-old Hodgson.

"We are looking for a different type of midfielder player - more of a defensive, strong, tall type of central midfield player.

"The profile we would want would be an out-and-out defensive midfielder who is not interested in going forward and getting involved in attacks in the opposition penalty box.

"I would like Patrick Viera in an ideal world.

"At the moment in our midfield group they are all reasonably similar players in that they are all ball players and regard themselves as playmakers and not defenders.

"Hopefully something will turn up before the transfer window closes. We would be happy to take the chance."

Labels: Arsenal, Fulham, Indian Premier League, Patrick Viera, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

DEMPSEY LOOKING FORWARD TO WEMBLEY TEST

Clint Dempsey cannot wait to step out on to the hallowed turf at Wembley for the first time on Wednesday and is hoping to fire past England once again.

The Fulham forward’s national team, America, take on Fabio Capello’s side in the first of three high-profile friendlies before their World Cup qualifying campaign kicks off next month.

The 25-year-old, current US player of the year, has fond memories of playing England, having netted his first international goal against them in 2005.

“I scored my first goal for America in the 2-1 friendly defeat in Chicago and I remember it well,” said 38-cap Dempsey. “It was a set-piece crossed to [former Fulham defender] Carlos [Bocanegra] who shot the ball on the goal frame.

“The ‘keeper [David James] made a good save and I was in the right place at the right time – the ball came right to me and I just tried to put it back in. I managed to squeeze it in the near post and it was a great feeling.

“I am really looking forward to playing at Wembley – I have never played there before and would love to score.

“There is a history at Wembley and I’m it’s so exciting for all the players. Guys I have talked to about it say it has an amazing atmosphere.”

After the England game America, who have won four out of their last five matches, take on Spain and Argentina before playing Barbados on June 15 on their first stop on the road to South Africa 2010.

Dempsey continued: “With three big games against England, Spain and Argentina we have an opportunity to test ourselves and work out how best to be successful when we go to the Caribbean.

“It is great to play against the best teams out there – as a player that is what you want. You can better yourself, as both a player and a team, playing against these sort of teams and we are all looking forward to it.

“It’s good to play against guys that I play against week in, week out, in the Premier League – one of the best leagues in the world. There are some of the best players in the world.”

Dempsey backed forward Landon Donavan to cause England most problems. The LA Galaxy star, and team-mate of David Beckham’s, is set to make his 100th appearance for his county against England.

And Dempsey added of the 26-year-old: “To be able to reach 100 caps at such a young age is awesome and a testament to his talent. It’s great for Landon and I am sure he will show his ability against England."

Labels: America, Clint Dempsey, Dutch football, England, Fulham, Wembley

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:03 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM PRAY TO FOOTBALLING GODS

Roy Hodgson is concerned that last Saturday’s wild celebrations, after Fulham’s victory over fellow strugglers Birmingham at Craven Cottage, were premature and could come back to haunt them. Indeed the manager believes that those jubilant scenes have heaped even more pressure on his players to perform in their final game against Portsmouth tomorrow.

That 2-0 win moved Hodgson’s side out of the bottom three – where they had been since Boxing Day – for the first time in his four months at the club, sparking a lap of honour led by Hodgson and 79-year-old chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed to the delight of the fans.

The 60-year-old knows, however, that they are not out of the woods yet, and defeat to the FA Cup finalists at Fratton Park could yet condemn them to relegation to the Championship.

“The reception we got from our fans after we beat Birmingham was fantastic,” he said. “If anything it worried me because I don't think we deserved it. We can still slip into the Championship – there's still a big risk of that happening.

"That reception is probably the biggest pressure that has been put upon us because we realised, if we hadn't already, that it was so important to people.”

Hodgson is confident that his team, having won three of their last four games and recorded their first away in 18 months against Reading, will have the momentum to defeat Harry Redknapp’s side.

“If we can beat Reading, Manchester City, Birmingham and Derby, we can go and win at Portsmouth,” he continued. “But I don't think we're favourites to win and we are very much aware that Portsmouth are a very good team with some very good players.

“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. All of a sudden we've had a reprieve and if we win our last game maybe we won't be relegated.

“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. We have to do our best and hope the football gods smile upon us.”

If Fulham do survive the drop, there will be no sipping of champagne from Hodgson, however. He added: "If we were to win and stay in the league, there would be such satisfaction for me that I would quite happily go home and have a glass of water and read my book."

Labels: Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:31 pm | Permalink | Comments

HODGSON WORRIED BY PREMATURE CELEBRATIONS

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is worried that last Saturday’s celebrations, after their 2-0 home win over fellow strugglers Birmingham, were premature, and have lumped even more pressure on his players to perform in their final game against Portsmouth on Sunday.

The victory lifted Fulham out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day, and prompted a lap of honour led by Hodgson and chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed to the delight of the fans.

However the 60-year-old knows that they are not out of the woods yet, and defeat at Fratton Park could spell relegation.

He said: "The reception we got from our fans after we beat Birmingham was fantastic. If anything it worried me because I don't think we deserved it. We can still slip into the Championship – there's still a big risk of that happening.

"That reception is probably the biggest pressure that has been put upon us because we realised, if we hadn't already, that it was so important to people.”

And on defeating the FA Cup finalists, Hodgson added: “If we can beat Reading, Manchester City, Birmingham and Derby, we can go and win at Portsmouth.

“But I don't think we're favourites to win and we are very much aware that Portsmouth are a very good team with some very good players.”

Labels: Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:36 pm | Permalink | Comments

NEVLAND: NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR FULHAM

Fulham chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed will not be rewarding Erik Nevland and his teammates with Harrods hampers, or anything else, should they complete their Houdini act and escape relegation by defeating Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon.

The 79-year-old Egyptian owner, who bought the club from Jimmy Hill eleven years ago when they were competing in the then Third Division, will only be offering words of encouragement.

And striker Nevland, who entered last Saturday’s crucial game with fellow strugglers Birmingham with 23 minutes remaining and scored to secure three priceless points, believes that Al-Fayed’s presence is incentive enough.

“No, there will be no rewards,” the 30-year-old Norwegian smiled. “He has been an inspiration because he has been down a few times to talk to the players at the training ground and also before the games – as he did when we played Birmingham.

“He said that he wanted to stay in the league and he wanted us to win the game. It’s an inspiration to see his commitment to the club and it gives us a bit more of an incentive.”

The 2-0 victory against Birmingham gave Fulham their third win in four games and lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day.

And Sunday’s Fratton Park clash with FA Cup finalists Portsmouth will be the most important in Nevland’s life.

He continued: “It has to be the biggest game of my career because of the consequences.

“I have played in the cup final in Norway and have vast experience but this is as big as they come.

“I have been in a relegation fight before, in Norway with Viking Stavanger, but then we pulled it off before the last game, and we could play with no pressure. Now it is down to the last game, the last minute, the last second – it is going to be really exciting.”

Manager Roy Hodgson, who took the reins from sacked Lawrie Sanchez in January, agrees that survival should be inspiration enough.

He said: “The victory in this game could be so sweet and could give us such rewards, that any financial rewards would be superfluous.

“Our job is to play football and win football matches. The chairman pays us well to do that. All of us want to ply are trade in the Premier League rather than the Championship – that is the biggest incentive we can get.”

Nevland, who was brought to the club by 60-year-old Hodgson, is quick to praise his manager, a “calm and quiet influence”. He added: “He has been in the game a long time and knows what is necessary.

“He says that we have a quality group of players and always had the belief that we can go on and do miracles like we have done in the last few weeks. The whole of the club have kept the faith.

“There is still a lot of work to do to fulfill the escape. But a few months ago, a few weeks ago it looked really bad. Despite that we never lost faith and we always thought that it would be possible.

“That is showing now – it is the last game and we are out of the bottom three. Who would have thought that a few weeks ago?

“I would much rather be in our position than Birmingham’s or Reading’s because we have it in your own hands. But it is going to be nerve-wracking.”

Labels: Erik Nevland, Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 10:50 pm | Permalink | Comments

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.”

Labels: Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:37 pm | Permalink | Comments

RELEGATION WOULD BE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT - HODGSON

Roy Hodgson admits that if Fulham don’t escape the Premier League drop it will rank alongside losing the Uefa Cup Final on penalties in terms of disappointment – in a 32-year coaching career.

The Fulham manager took the reins of the west London club in late December, when the team were in eighteenth in the table having won only two games under Lawrie Sanchez.

He remains confident that his team can beat the drop despite being five points adrift of safety with only three games remaining – the first of which is at Manchester City’s Eastlands tomorrow afternoon.

The 60-year-old, who took Inter Milan to the Uefa Cup Final in 1997 only to lose 4-1 on penalties after extra time, said: “It would be a major disappointment if Fulham were relegated and I don't know if it will be the worst in a 32-year career.

“Losing the UEFA Cup final on penalties is going to take a little bit of beating. But I didn't come here to see the team go down, so it would be a major blow to me.

“I've had a short, intensive spell of four months here, but I don't think the team has done that badly.”

Though Hodgson has contemplated relegation, he is hoping that the fight in his players and some good fortune will steer them from danger.

He continued: “We've had bad luck at times but I think the club has great potential and if we survive in the Premier League we'll definitely be stronger next season.

“There's no simple answer to why the club is in the position it is. Sometimes things degenerate over a period of time and it's not easy to turn the tide around when it has turned against you.

“But I haven't concerned myself too much with the past – I've just put the blinkers on and tried to make us a better football team.

“The mood in training has been very good this week. The players have great belief and have been happy to work and get on with it.

“If the situation had been really getting them down then maybe we'd have tried some different to improve morale.”

And Hodgson stressed that star midfielder Jimmy Bullard, allegedly wanted by a number of Premier League clubs, is fully focused on Fulham’s cause.

“Jimmy is one of the more committed people in training,” the Fulham boss said. “At this time of year players will be linked to other clubs.

“But you don't have to worry about Jimmy getting his shirt sweaty and working his socks off to get results.

“If he does have other thoughts in his head then he's keeping them to himself and they're not affecting his performance.”

On tomorrow's game at eighth-place Manchester City, he added: “We will go out there and do our very best to get the three points that we need to keep us in the hunt to avoid relegation.

“I believe we can do it. If we get a bit of luck on our side in the last three games and we play well, why wouldn’t I believe we can escape relegation?”

Probable line-up: Keller; Stalteri, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Davies, Bullard, Murphy, Dempsey; Healy, McBride

Labels: Fulham, Jimmy Bullard, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:03 pm | Permalink | Comments

LITMANEN - THE UNLUCKIEST MAN IN FOOTBALL

Roy Hodgson thinks that Jari Litmanen must be the unluckiest man in football.

In four months the Finnish forward has not been able to make his Fulham debut after a series of freak injuries.

The latest accident happened in training last Monday when he was downed by a clearance booted from close range.

Fulham manager Hodgson said: “Litmanen is the most unlucky fellow I have come across in football.

“In training our Portuguese keeper (Ricardo Batista), who I must say is a very fearsome kicker of the ball, managed to smash it into the back of his head from about four yards away.

“It was like a missile that knocked him over. It's not a long term thing but it's knocked him for six this week.

“Jari has been very unlucky. When I first went to the Finnish FA he was standing next to his sporting director at Malmo and the guy opened as can of coke and the top popped into his eye.”

Labels: Fulham, Jari Litmanan, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:06 pm | Permalink | Comments

HEALY - I CAN SAVE FULHAM

Fulham striker David Healy believes he can save Fulham from relegation - given the chance.

is positive that, were he given the chance by club manager Roy Hodgson, his goal-scoring - witnessed regularly at international level - would drag Fulham from the jaws of Premier League relegation.

Going into Saturday's crucial Premier League showdown at Derby County, Hodgson's side, with seven games remaining, sit in 18th place having won 23 points from a possible 93. And the last time Healy started for Hodgson's team - back in January - was the last time he scored for the club.

The 29-year-old also netted at both ends in Wednesday's 4-1 international friendly win over Georgia, having been handed a special award by Uefa President Michel Platini for scoring a record 13 goals in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

He said: "It was nice to score against Georgia - I hadn't scored in a while, so it was good. It's disappointing not playing for your club, but I understand.

"There are enough games left for me to play in, the decision is in the manager's hands. I have just got to be fit and patient and hope my chance comes. If I am given the opportunities for Fulham hopefully I can score the goals to keep us up."

Though rarely selected by the former Finland coach, Healy has turned down a number of loan moves in the last month so that he can concentrate on securing Fulham's Premier League survival.

"There was talk of a possible loan deal taking place a couple of week ago, but both Roy and I said no," continued Healy. "I wanted to stay at Fulham and fight for the club.

"I don't want to play anywhere else - I want to be part of this; I want to be here. It's a great club with great facilities. Hopefully I can stay here and help the team stay up."
Last season while at Championship Leeds United Healy captained a side who were relegated - and he doesn't want to feel that sinking feeling again.

"My lowest moment in football was probably last year when Leeds were relegated," said Healy. "It was a huge disappointment.

"The game against Derby is a huge, must-win match."

Labels: David Healy, Fulham, Premier League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:48 pm | Permalink | Comments

HODGSON ON 'WORST' PREPARATION AND LITMANEN

Fulham face bottom-of-the-table Derby on Saturday in search of their first away win for over 16 months, but manager Roy Hodgson admits they will have the worst possible preparation after 15 players were involved in midweek international friendlies.

Hodgson, who has managed three international sides - Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and, most recently, Finland - admits he will have only one morning training session with his full squad before they travel.

He said: "I’m upset and a little sad that 13 out of our 15 players who left on Sunday have played 90 minutes.

"I have been a national team manager myself. But when when you take into account they are friendly matches, with respect, a relegation battle between Fulham and Derby is more important than playing Liechtenstein away.

"I was hoping that in certain circumstances, when games were clearly won, one or two of our players would have been high on the list of players to take off because of our situation.

"Six or seven didn’t even get back in time for Thursday afternoon’s training session. So our preparation for this weekend’s game is the worst it’s been since I came to the club. We only have Friday morning to work with the team before we get on the coach to Derby."

If the former Inter Milan manager's side do win for the first time on the road since September 2006, they could condemn Derby to relegation. But Hodgson is being more pragmatic.

He continued: "I don’t subscribe to the theory that because Derby are bottom of the table, we will easily win the game. They are a few points behind us, but we are both in a very difficult situation. They don’t seem to be playing like a team who are down.

"We have only 23 points, and we need a lot more than that to stand a chance of staying up. To get the right result we have to train properly and prepare properly."

Finnish international Jari Litmanen, 37, who netted a penalty on Wednesday in his country's 2-1 defeat by Bulgaria, is unlikely to feature for Fulham.

Hodgson was clearly disgruntled that he had featured for his country, having trained only a handful of times for Fulham.

The manager added: "I wouldn't pitch Litmanen into battle, even though he scored, because at the moment I have 24 guys training hard every week, and Jari hasn't completed more than 10 per cent of the training sessions we have done since I have been at the club.

"He has not played one game in a Fulham shirt, yet he has completed two matches for Finland.

"So until such time I can be convinced that he can get out there training every day, I will just have to accept that I am unlucky enough that when the Finland team come round he manages to find the wherewithal to play. But he hasn't done it yet in the two-and-a-half months I have been at the club."

Labels: Derby County, Fulham, Jari Litmanan, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:39 pm | Permalink | Comments

LITMANEN OUT AGAIN FOR FULHAM

Finnish legend Jari Litmanan’s woes at Fulham continue – he has had to return to his homeland again to recover from injury. Due to his latest setback, he will be unable to make his club debut against Blackburn at Ewood Park this weekend.

The 37-year-old, who starred for Ajax when the Dutch team won the European Cup in 1995, had been penciled in to make his bow for the Premier League strugglers this weekend, but a thigh strain has dashed Roy Hodgson’s plans.

Last month the Finn returned home after suffering heart palpitations on the training pitch, and has, much to his frustration, been force to watch Fulham’s woeful string of defeats from afar.

Hodgson, who managed Litmanan at international level, said: “Jari could possibly be in contention for next week. It depends on whether he can get this problem sorted out with the insoles of his shoes.

“He has had operations - Achilles and ankle operations - and as a result he needs these insoles to correct certain movement in his ankles which, if it doesn't get corrected, brings about muscle strains.

“That's exactly what has happened - he has got a stain on the inside of
his thigh that has come about because of the fact that the new insoles
that he thought were going to work didn't.

“He has to go back to Finland to have that fixed up. The guy who does it all over there knows all about the background to all his operations.”

Hodgson, who signed Litmanan on a free transfer in January, continued: “It would be nice to have him available because he is a very good footballer. It is frustrating for him as well me, but luckily we have other players and we have lots of options in the attacking positions.

“It would be good if we had him as well. It is frustrating for him because he wants to be a part of it and it is frustrating for me because it would give me another element in the competition for places up front.”

Labels: Fulham, Jari Litmanan, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:50 pm | Permalink | Comments

BULLARD BACKS HODGSON

Jimmy Bullard insists Roy Hodgson is “a different class” and the perfect manager to ensure Fulham retain their Premier League status. But he has warned Hodgson’s seven new signings there is no time for them to settle – they must be ready for a “dogfight”.

Fulham came from behind to win 2-1 against Aston Villa at Craven Cottage on Sunday, and Bullard’s late 25-yard free-kick earned Hodgson his first victory for the club, though his team remain second bottom in the table.

The tousled midfielder, who had not scored for 16 months after sustaining a career-threatening knee injury, was delighted that Fulham recorded their first maximum in 12 league games.

“It’s brilliant for Roy to get his first win," Bullard beamed. "He knows what we need to do to survive – he is the best manager I have ever played under.

“Roy's experience is second to none and he is a brilliant man-manager – he's a different class.

“We are in a dogfight, right to the last game – the gaffer drums it into us week in, week out."

The former Finland head coach spent £9m in the January transfer window and the new signings need to settle immediately, thinks Bullard.

He continued: “There is no time for the new guys to bed in or gel – our next game is massive and we need three points. The boys who have come in have got to roll their sleeves up and do the job.”

Labels: Aston Villa, football, Fulham, Jimmy Bullard, Premier League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:08 am | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM NOTCH FIRST WIN FOR HODGSON AGAINST VILLA

Roy Hodgson’s revolution is starting to gather pace at Craven Cottage, and the spirited 2-1 victory against Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa was evidence enough that there is fight left in Fulham to survive relegation yet. Jimmy Bullard’s 25-yard free kick with only four minutes remaining rightfully earned Hodgson’s team their first win the Premier League in 12 attempts.

For their visitors, now flush with England squad members, the disappointment of the defeat – only their second on their travels this campaign – was compounded by an injury to Gabriel Agbonlahor, who limped off with hamstring trouble at the interval. The young forward now looks certain to miss England’s friendly game against Switzerland, and an opportunity to make his international bow.

Not that Hodgson will care – his team looked up for the contest from the off, and kept their heads up even when Villa took the lead with 20 minutes remaining. Norwegian international Erik Nevland, on his debut, toiled alone in attack in Hodgson’s 4-5-1 formation and the home side enjoyed the lion’s share of the first-half possession without ever looking like scoring. Villa sat back, soaked up the pressure and allowed Fulham to come at them.

Ironically, it was only after the goal, conceded in the 69th minute, that the Fulham players really took the game by the scruff. Captain Aaron Hughes, against the club he played for last season, nudged the ball into his own net after Shaun Maloney’s corner, much to his embarrassment.

Within four minutes Fulham had equalised through Welsh winger Simon Davies. He stole in front of England hopeful Curtis Davis to flick Bullard’s cross past Scott Carson.

A sense of belief lifted the home side, and when Davis felled substitute Diomansy Kamara on 85 minutes, there was only one man who was going to take the kick.

Bullard stepped up and hit his shot over the wall and through Carson, who should have done better. Fulham still remain second from bottom in the table, but things are looking up for Hodgson’s team.

With his first win now secured, and new players to come in, Hodgson will be happy. Club captain Brian McBride, who has not featured since August, entered the fray as a second half substitute, much to the delight of the home supporters. But after his late heroics against Villa, the new Craven Cottage favourite is tousled, impish midfielder Bullard.

Labels: Aston Villa, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:56 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM HEADING FOR CHAMPIONSHIP AS RED HOT ADEBAYOR CLIMBS TO CONQUER

Fulham’s need for taller defenders was underlined at Craven Cottage as Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor netted twice in the first-half by out-jumping the home side’s central defenders. Those two goals put paid to Roy Hodgson’s plans of eeking out a draw – Fulham lined-up in a 4-5-1 formation – and Tomas Rosicky completed the scoring in the second-half.

Before kick-off all 6”5’ of Norwegian international centre-back Brede Hangeland was unveiled to great cheers from the home supporters. But the former FC Copenhagen giant could only watch from the stands as after just 19 minutes the Togo international rose above Dejan Stefanovic to nod home from Arsenal’s first meaningful chance.

Rosicky – back in the Gunners’ side after recovering from a viral infection – played a reverse ball to over-lapping full-back Gael Clichy on the left-hand touch line. The pacy Frenchman, with bags of time, hit a first-time cross which found the corn-rows of Adebayor, whose neat header in to the corner left Antti Niemi with zero chance.

Lighting struck twice for Fulham as six minutes before the interval the Togo forward used his head to good effect again, though this time around his supply was from the right-hand side. Alexander Hleb’s driven ball pin-pointed Adebayor, who again jumped higher than his opponents. Captain Aaron Hughes was the guilty party for goal number two.

Fulham failed to muster a single shot on target as Hodgson’s tactics looked feckless and limp. American Clint Dempsey huffed and puffed on his own up front for his team; but he was never going to blow the cottage down.

The biggest cheers of the afternoon occurred when Jimmy Bullard entered the fray at half-time, but despite his creative touch, the result was in the bag for the visiting east-Londoners by the time he was introduced.

Never, in any of the 26 league games that Adebayor has scored in, have Arsenal lost a match. With the striker in such red hot form, manger Arsene Wenger must be delighted that Togo failed to qualify for the African Nations Cup which begins in Ghana tomorrow.

Rosicky scored his side’s third and final goal in a flaccid second-half, sliding in after a superb dribble and pull-back by Brazilian-born Croat Eduardo, who shone again. Arsenal remain on the coat-tails of Manchester United – equal on points but behind on goal difference, after late goals from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo secured their win at Reading.

Fulham remain in 19th place in the Premier League and Hodgson must hope he can bring more players to the club, and soon. Marlon King’s £5m switch from Watford hit a snag late on Friady when Fulham’s medics raised doubts over the striker’s right knee – the same knee that had cause the Jamaican international to miss six months of last season’s Premier League campaign.

Hodgson is looking secure the services of Kansas City striker Eddie Johnson (pending work permit), Werder Bremen’s holding midfielder Leon Anderson, and Guglielmo Stendardo – a central defender from Lazio. Will they be enough to save them from the drop? Only time, and 15 games, will tell.

Labels: Arsenal, Championship, Emmanuel Adebayor, Fulham, Premier League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:13 pm | Permalink | Comments

FULHAM 'TIGERS' TO PLAY EVERY GAME AS THOUGH A 'CUP FINAL'

Roy Hodgson has dismissed the notion that Fulham are too good to go down, and admits that his team must treat every game – starting with tomorrow’s match against West Ham United – like a cup final if they are to retain their Premier League status.

And he takes encouragement from Alan Curbishley’s achievements at Upton Park. The Hammers were second-bottom at this point last season - the position Hodgson finds his new team in now.

The 60-year-old, who has been at Craven Cottage for only a fortnight, said: “I think Fulham is an excellent club, but we have no God-given right to be in the Premier League – you have to play well enough to keep your place.

“Relegation can happen to us – it has happened to a number of quality, traditional clubs. We have got to be totally and utterly focus on working as hard as we possibly can on ensuring that it doesn’t happen.

“West Ham were in a similar position to ourselves last season and they found themselves in the relegation zone and for a long period of time they were concerned that they weren’t going to survive.

“They did, and since then they have pushed on and are now we know that if we are to get a good result we are going to have to be on the ball and at our best.”

The former Inter and Blackburn manager added: “Every game now needs to be seen as a cup final and the players need to prepare as though each game is a final. We need to be at our best and fighting like tigers in every game.”

Labels: Alan Cubishley, football, Fulham, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, West Ham United

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:11 am | Permalink | Comments