http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/16/fulham-keeper-mark-schwarzer-eyes-europa-league-glory-82029-26256918/ (http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/16/fulham-keeper-mark-schwarzer-eyes-europa-league-glory-82029-26256918/)
Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer eyes Europa League glory
MARK Schwarzer has urged his Fulham team-mates to grasp the 'chance of a lifetime' by ending the season with European glory.
Fulham's number one was a hero for the Cottagers in a fantastic four days for the club that started with Europa League quarter-final success over Wolfsburg and ended with a point at Anfield on Sunday.
But Schwarzer, who reached a Uefa Cup Final with Middlesbrough in 2006, warned that Fulham must maintain their momentum if they want to achieve success, ahead of the first leg at Hamburg on Thursday.
"We need to continue the momentum and we did that by getting a great result at Anfield after our tough game in Europe against Wolfsburg," he said.
"But we have Wolves next and we have to keep it going before the game against Hamburg. We have the chance of a lifetime now as we have just two games to get to a European final. If we keep going for it then the sky is the limit.
"We are all fighting for the same cause and we want the club to be successful. That desire is there for the players and the manager. We are looking forward to playing Hamburg in the semi-final and it is in our hands now."
http://football.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/04/16/fulham-v-wolves-preview-aaron-hughes-is-still-eyeing-top-ten-fi/ (http://football.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/04/16/fulham-v-wolves-preview-aaron-hughes-is-still-eyeing-top-ten-fi/)
Fulham v Wolves Preview: Aaron Hughes is Still Eyeing Top Ten Finish
Fulham could be forgiven for being preoccupied with their pending Europa League semi-final with Hamburg, but despite their marathon season, the club's midfielder Aaron Hughes insists they will not throw in the towel when it comes to their league campaign.
Instead, the Northern Ireland international has targeted a 10th place finish in the Premier League. He told the club's official website: "The season's not yet over for us. A lot of people are looking at the Hamburg game because it gives us the chance of reaching a final.
"But in terms of the league it would be nice to finish in the top 10. We'd like to push for that but we'll have a tough game against Wolves, who themselves have had a very good season.
"I think we've coped very well with not letting one competition distract us from another one this season. There are a few teams who are all pushing to get into that top 10 - so it would be nice to still be able to finish up there with all of the games in the FA Cup and Europa League we've had to deal with.
Hughes's attitude is laudable and will be welcomed by Wolves's relegation rivals, although Roy Hodgson concedes it is difficult to give a routine league game his full attention, depsiet having the rare bonus of a clear midweek.
"It would be nice to say no and that we only have thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg but if I said that, it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham," said the Cottagers manager.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8618476.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8618476.stm)
Fulham v Wolverhampton
TEAM NEWS
Fulham defender John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December after recovering from a knee injury.
Clint Dempsey remains sidelined with a thigh problem, while David Elm has yet to overcome a virus.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has no fresh injury worries following the draw with Stoke last weekend.
Skipper Karl Henry serves the second game of a three-match ban following his red card against Arsenal two weeks ago. Dave Edwards could again deputise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fulham
Injured: Dempsey (thigh), Elm (virus), A Johnson (knee)
Wolves
Suspended: Henry (two matches) Injured: Kightly (knee)
MATCH PREVIEW
Wolves striker Kevin Doyle believes his side need two more wins to guarantee survival in the Premier League but Craven Cottage will not be an easy place to pick one up. Fulham, who face Hamburg in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday, have beaten Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus at home this season.
We want to continue to get results and end with a flurry, not causing ourselves any problems by worrying about other results
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy
However, a glance at the league table tells you that Wolves are virtually safe already. Six points clear of the relegation zone, most bookmakers are no longer accepting bets on them staying up. "The good thing is our destiny is in our own hands," admits Doyle.
Fulham's priority is undoubtedly Europe, which may explain why they've won just one of their last six Premier League games. Given that this will be Fulham's 56th match of the season, Roy Hodgson is understandably doing his best to keep his squad fresh.
But a top-10 finish in the Premier League remains a target, with Fulham currently a point behind 10th-placed Stoke City. "It would be nice to still be able to finish up there with all of the games in the FA Cup and Europa League we've had to deal with," Fulham defender Aaron Hughes said this week.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• This is the 76th time these sides have met. Wolves lead by 35 wins to 22, with 18 draws.
• Fulham have yet to beat Wolves in the Premier League (P3 D1 L2)
Fulham
• Fulham are unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions.
• Roy Hodgson's next Premier League victory will be his 50th in the division as a manager. He has won 49, drawn 36 and lost 56 of 141 Premier League matches in charge of Blackburn Rovers and Fulham.
• Fulham have failed to score a first-half goal in their last seven league games.
• Fulham have received fewer cards than any other team this season: 41 yellow cards and one red.
Wolves
• Wolves have gone three games without scoring, although two of those were valuable goalless draws.
• They have scored 28 goals in 34 games - the weakest attack in the Premier League, along with Portsmouth.
• Their current tally of 33 points equals their total for the whole of the 2003/04 Premier League season.
• Wolves have been awarded just one penalty this season, fewer than any other Premier League team.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Fulham
Zamora: 19 goals (8 league); Duff: 10 goals (7 league)
Wolves
Doyle: 7 goals (7 league); Craddock: 5 goals (5 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistant referees: Simon Beck & Mo Matadar
Fourth official: Keith Hill
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Fulham (D0-0 v Liverpool, a): Schwarzer; Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Greening (Riise 82), Murphy (Dikgacoi 75), Etuhu, Duff, Nevland, Zamora (Okaka 68). Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Shorey, Smalling.
Wolves (D0-0 v Stoke, h): Hahnemann; Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Mancienne, D Jones (Milijas 79), Edwards (Iwelumo 59), Foley, Jarvis, Doyle. Subs not used: Hennessey, Ebanks-Blake, Ward, Halford, Guedioura.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Wolves 2-1 Fulham (20 September 2009)
Wolves scorers: Doyle 18, Edwards 50
Fulham scorer: Murphy (pen) 66
http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/duos-chance-to-return-1051746.html (http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/duos-chance-to-return-1051746.html)
Duo's chance to return
Clint Dempsey and Zoltan Gera are hoping to return against Wolves as Fulham chase their 11th Premier League home win of the season.
Dempsey could feature after a thigh problem while Gera should overcome a knock.
John Pantsil may be in line for a shock comeback after not featuring since December because of a knee injury but Andy Johnson remains sidelined by a similar problem.
Roy Hodgson is not expected to start with top scorer Bobby Zamora, who he will wrap up in cotton wool for the Europa League semi-finals, and play with Erik Nevland up front.
http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/roy-ready-rotate-1051746.html (http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/roy-ready-rotate-1051746.html)
Roy ready to rotate
Clint Dempsey and Zoltan Gera are hoping to return against Wolves as Fulham chase their 11th Premier League home win of the season.
Dempsey could feature after a thigh problem while Gera should overcome a knock.
John Pantsil may be in line for a shock comeback after not featuring since December because of a knee injury but Andy Johnson remains sidelined by a similar problem.
Roy Hodgson is not expected to start with top scorer Bobby Zamora, who he will wrap up in cotton wool for the Europa League semi-finals, and play with Erik Nevland up front.
http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/fulham-fc-ealing/2010/04/16/fulham-suffer-john-pantsil-euro-blow-82029-26258757/ (http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/fulham-fc-ealing/2010/04/16/fulham-suffer-john-pantsil-euro-blow-82029-26258757/)
Fulham suffer John Pantsil Euro blow
JOHN Pantsil has been ruled out of the rest of Fulham's Europa League campaign.
Roy Hodgson revealed at today's press conference that the Ghanaian isn't available for next week's semi-final with Hamburg - or the final if they get there - because he wasn't registered in time for March's deadline.
The news is a big blow for the club, who have fielded Chris Baird, Stephen Kelly and Simon Davies at right-back in Pantsil's absence.
The former West Ham full-back is now back to full fitness after recovering from a knee injury, and could feature against Wolves tomorrow.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/04/16/zamora-england-class-for-berra/ (http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/04/16/zamora-england-class-for-berra/)
Zamora England class for Berra
(http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/berra-zamora.jpg)
Wolves defender Christophe Berra has told national boss Fabio Capello that Fulham striker Bobby Zamora deserves an England World Cup call.
Berra is set to mark Zamora at Craven Cottage tomorrow – if the Cottagers striker shakes off an Achilles problem.
With Zamora having confounded his critics with 19 goals this season, Scotland international Berra has now joined the clamour to see the 29-year-old win a place on the plane to South Africa.
He said: "Bobby must be one of the form strikers in the league at the moment and is scoring a lot of goals.
"It looks like he might get an England call-up the way things are going and I think he deserves it from the way he's been playing.
"Fulham have got some good strikers, but no matter who they've got up front we know it will be a hard game and we'll have to be on the ball to pick anything up."
Wolves go to Fulham six points clear of the drop zone with four games to go, knowing another victory could be enough to keep them up.
But Berra has urged his team-mates to keep up their recent stubborn form that has seen the team pick up seven points from their last four trips to climb to 14th in the table.
He said: "Performances have been good recently, but we've got to keep that going for the next four games.
"We will definitely have to do that tomorrow because Fulham are a good side, particularly at Craven Cottage, so it's going to be very difficult game.
"We're going to have to produce a top performance if we're going to come away with anything. We won't take our foot off the pedal, not that the gaffer would ever let us do that anyway. We have to give as much over the last four games, as we did the first four games of the season.
"It's always nice to achieve something by your own results rather than relying on anyone else's."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266538/FULHAM-v-Wolves-Roy-Hodgson-boosted-long-awaited-return-John-Pantsil.html?ITO=1490 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266538/FULHAM-v-Wolves-Roy-Hodgson-boosted-long-awaited-return-John-Pantsil.html?ITO=1490)
FULHAM v Wolves: Roy Hodgson boosted by long awaited return of John Pantsil
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/04/16/article-1266538-0929DFEB000005DC-415_306x409.jpg)
John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December in Fulham's Barclays Premier League game against Wolves.
The defender has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up against Chelsea which had threatened to end his season.
David Elm is still struggling to recover from a virus while Clint Dempsey (thigh) and Andy Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.
Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Pantsil, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Okaka, Davies, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Shorey, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266538/FULHAM-v-Wolves-Roy-Hodgson-boosted-long-awaited-return-John-Pantsil.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0lKszy5iQ (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266538/FULHAM-v-Wolves-Roy-Hodgson-boosted-long-awaited-return-John-Pantsil.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0lKszy5iQ)
http://www.teamtalk.com/celtic/6097167/Kamara-doubtful-as-Hoops-host-Hibs (http://www.teamtalk.com/celtic/6097167/Kamara-doubtful-as-Hoops-host-Hibs)
Kamara doubtful as Hoops host Hibs
Diomansy Kamara is a doubt for Celtic's SPL game against Hibernian on Saturday (12:15pm) after aggravating a hamstring injury.
A decision will be made in the morning on the fitness of the Senegal striker, who made his first appearance since February in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Motherwell.
Darren O'Dea is expected to continue to play through the pain of a thigh strain, but the game comes too soon for fellow defenders Glenn Loovens and Thomas Rogne, while Jos Hooiveld and Shaun Maloney remain on the sidelines.
Bhoys (from): Boruc, Naylor, O'Dea, Hinkel, McGinn, Kamara, Thompson, Brown, McGeady, NGuemo, Samaras, Fortune, Keane, Rasmussen, Wilson, McGowan, Braafheid, Crosas, Zaluska, Ki.
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/doyles_euro_hope_519386/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/doyles_euro_hope_519386/index.shtml)
Doyle's Euro Hope
Wolves' Kevin Doyle is hoping Fulham will be distracted by the possibility of reaching a European final when the two sides meet on Saturday.
Roy Hodgson's side are gearing up for a Europa League semi-final with Hamburg after overcoming Juventus and Wolfsburg on their way to the last four.
With their Premier League safety assured, Doyle is hoping Wolves can take advantage and take a further step to guaranteeing their own top flight status for another season.
The Republic of Ireland striker said: "Fulham are an excellent team and I'm hoping that they are concentrating a little bit on what is a massive game for them in Europe. I'm sure they will be trying their best and everything but you just hope that in the back of their mind that takes something out of them."
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/zubar_expects_fulham_test_519098/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/zubar_expects_fulham_test_519098/index.shtml)
Zubar Expects Fulham Test
Wolves defender Ronald Zubar does not expect Fulham to take their eye off the ball when the two sides meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Roy Hodgson's men face Hamburg next Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, but Zubar does not expect that to be on the Fulham players' minds at the weekend.
He told the Express & Star: "Fulham are playing us at home, where they're very strong and as they're playing well, they will be on the front foot. I think to have the confidence they need against Hamburg it's best if they go there with a win, so they will be fully committed to beating Wolves.
"The players want to play - Bobby Zamora has a chance of playing in the World Cup so he needs to play, and Clint Dempsey is the same. They might also be thinking of getting to the final, so that could be good for us, but it would be wrong to say they're going to ignore the game against us."
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/pantsil_wants_euro_place_518768/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/pantsil_wants_euro_place_518768/index.shtml)
Pantsil Wants Euro Place
John Pantsil is desperate to put his injury heartbreak behind him by helping Fulham secure a place in the Europa League final.
The full back has been out of action since picking up a serious knee injury in the Cottagers' west London derby defeat against Chelsea in December.
The injury ruled Pantsil out of the African Nations Cup and the majority of Fulham's march through Europe which has seen them beat Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk to make the semi finals, where they will meet Hamburg next week.
Pantsil had to undergo an operation to cure the problem with his posterior cruciate ligament in January before returning to training three weeks ago.
Since then the defender has played three reserve games and he is now hoping to play some part in Fulham's bid to win their first major European competition.
"To play a full 90 minutes against Aston Villa's reserves on Monday was fantastic and I'm looking to be involved with the first team again very soon," the 28-year-old told Fulham's official club website.
"The injury happened on the last day before leaving to join my colleagues in the African Cup of Nations so I missed out on the African Cup of Nations and also all the Europa League games and I nearly lost the World Cup.
"We all started the season together but my injury pushed me away from competing in the Europa League competition.
"The boys are doing so well and I'm really pleased with their performances but on the other hand I'm not happy that I'm not involved."
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0416/fulham_wolverhampton.html (http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0416/fulham_wolverhampton.html)
Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December in Fulham's Barclays Premier League game against Wolves.
The defender has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up against Chelsea which had threatened to end his season.
David Elm is still struggling to recover from a virus while Clint Dempsey (thigh) and Andy Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.
Wolves will again be without skipper Karl Henry.
The midfielder will have to serve the second game of a three-match ban for his red card against Arsenal a fortnight ago.
Dave Edwards could again deputise as Wolves look to build on a run of nine points from the last six games which has moved them six points clear of the bottom three.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has no fresh injury worries following the goalless home draw with Stoke last weekend.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Pantsil, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Okaka, Davies, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Shorey, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Elokobi, Foley, Edwards, Jones, Mancienne, Jarvis, Doyle, Hennessey, Guedioura, Milijas, Castillo, Stearman, Mujangi Bia, Ward, Halford, Surman, Vokes, Keogh, Iwelumo.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2010/04/16/1881351/fulhams-aaron-hughes-targeting-top-half-premier-league (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2010/04/16/1881351/fulhams-aaron-hughes-targeting-top-half-premier-league)
Fulham's Aaron Hughes targeting top half Premier League finish
Cottagers skipper not looking past Saturday's game with Wolves...
Fulham captain Aaron Hughes is looking for a second successive top half finish to cap a very successful season at Craven Cottage.
The Northern Ireland skipper has been at the heart of Fulhams' thrilling run in the Europa League which has seen them account for Wolfsburg, Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk amongst others.
However, the resolute defender is not looking beyong a win against Wolves on Saturday as Fulham chase a top 10 finish, before turning his attention to the semi-final with Hamburg next Thursday.
"The season's not yet over for us," Hughes told reporters. "A lot of people are looking at the Hamburg game because it gives us the chance of reaching a final.
"But in terms of the league it would be nice to finish in the top ten, we'd like to push for that but we'll have a tough game on Saturday against Wolves, who themselves have had a very good season.
"I think we've coped very well with not letting one competition distract us from another one this season.
"There are a few teams who are all pushing to get into that top ten - so it would be nice to still be able to finish up there with all of the games in the FA Cup and Europa League we've had to deal with.
"Those games have given the manager the chance to give a few of the other lads a game and allow them to show what they can do.
"We've used the squad well and all of the lads have done well."
Hughes, who joined Fulham in 2007 following a spell at Aston Villa, insists that he wants the side to finish strongly, and turn a good season into one that would be viewed as truly great.
"With the European competition we've had some good nights, obviously the Juventus match sticks out," continued Hughes.
"For me the Shakhtar Donetsk away game was massive - that game maybe didn't get the same level of hype as the Juve game.
"Maybe Shakhtar weren't as well known as Juve but for us the result was just as big. In terms of the league we had a good wins against Liverpool and Manchester United at home.
"Now our ambitions are to do well in the Europa League, that's a big incentive, but we also want that top 10 finish."
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/team_news_for_wolves_visit_519559/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/team_news_for_wolves_visit_519559/index.shtml)
Team News For Wolves Visit
Clint Dempsey and Zoltan Gera are hoping to return against Wolves as Fulham chase their 11th Premier League home win of the season.
Dempsey could feature after a thigh problem while Gera should overcome a knock. John Pantsil may be in line for a shock comeback after not featuring since December because of a knee injury but Andy Johnson remains sidelined by a similar problem. Roy Hodgson is not expected to start with top scorer Bobby Zamora, who he will wrap up in cotton wool for the Europa League semi-finals, and play with Erik Nevland up front.
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/berra_bobby_deserves_callup_519543/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/berra_bobby_deserves_callup_519543/index.shtml)
Berra: Bobby Deserves Call-Up
Wolves defender Christophe Berra has told national boss Fabio Capello that Fulham striker Bobby Zamora deserves an England World Cup call.
Wolves defender Christophe Berra has told national boss Fabio Capello that Fulham striker Bobby Zamora deserves an England World Cup call.
Berra is set to mark Zamora at Craven Cottage tomorrow - if the Cottagers striker shakes off an Achilles problem.
With Zamora having confounded his critics with 19 goals this season, Scotland international Berra has now joined the clamour to see the 29-year-old win a place on the plane to South Africa.
He said: "Bobby must be one of the form strikers in the league at the moment and is scoring a lot of goals.
"It looks like he might get an England call-up the way things are going and I think he deserves it from the way he's been playing.
"Fulham have got some good strikers, but no matter who they've got up front we know it will be a hard game and we'll have to be on the ball to pick anything up."
Wolves go to Fulham six points clear of the drop zone with four games to go, knowing another victory could be enough to keep them up.
http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/16/1425831/my-5-keys-to-victory-for-fulham (http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/16/1425831/my-5-keys-to-victory-for-fulham)
My 5 Keys to Victory for Fulham against Wolverhampton - Match Preview
(http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/351305/fulham_vs.wolves_large.jpg)
Fulham play tomorrow against Wolverhampton at Craven Cottage. The game takes place at 3PM UK Time and 10AM EST. The game will be shown on taped delay on Fox Soccer Plus at 4:30 EST in the U.S. Back In September Fulham lost 2 - 1 away to Wolverhampton. Fulham are currently 12th in the league with 42 points. Wolverhampton are 14th with 33 points. Since it is a home game and Wolverhampton has a hard time scoring, this is a game that Fulham can win. Below are"my 5 keys to victory for Fulham against Wolverhampton."
1. Will John Pantsil be starting for Fulham tomorrow? Panstil is coming back from an injury. He has played in a few Reserves matches lately. However, he did not play last night for the Reserves. Is that an indication we will see him tomorrow? If he does play at right back that could give Roy Hogdson the flexibility to possibly use Chris Baird in the midfield. I think if Pantsil can play this just gives Hogdson more lineup choices. Another advantage of Pantsil playing is his ability to push the ball and himself forward. When Panstil got hurt in the Chelsea game he was playing very well. If he can play tomorrow I think this would be a major positive for Fulham.
2. Fulham need to contain Kevin Doyle. In the first matchup, Kevin Doyle scored in the game at Wolverhampton. He currently has 7 goals and is Wolverhampton's main option at striker. Wolverhampton have only scored 28 goals in the league. This amount is tied for last in the league with Portsmouth. If Fulham can control Doyle they should have a great chance at winning the match.
3. Danny Murphy needs to control the midfield. I am big fan of Danny Murphy. He was one of my keys last week as well. Karl Henry is suspended for this match. His replacement will probably be Dave Edwards. Murphy has the opportunity to completely control the match and keep the pressure on Wolverhampton. If he can get some of his great passes to the strikers tomorrow, Fulham could be in great shape.
4. Who will be playing on the left side of the midfield? In last week's game against Liverpool it was Jonathan Greening for the majority of the match. He makes me a little nervous in that position. He got a yellow card and could have gotten another card on a foul. If he did get another card that would have taken him out of the match and left Fulham with 10 players. It is unclear if Simon Davies will be recovered in time from an injury for this match. He would be a great option. Also, it is unclear if Clint Dempsey is ready yet to return from injury. Other options at this position could be Bjorn Helge Riise, or possibly Chris Baird. Who Roy plays at this position definitely to me is a key to the match.
5. If Fulham score early in the first half they can completely control this match.This key can serve two purposes. An early goal for Fulham would really put Wolverhampton at a disadvantage. As I mentioned prior, Wolverhampton do not score many goals. In their last 3 games they have not scored a goal. One goal could be enough for Fulham to win the match. Also, an early goal could give options for Hogdson in the second half to rest a few players with substitutions. Fulham have the Europa League match in Hamburg on Thursday. It might not be a bad thing to give a few players some rest in the second half if the game is in control.
I think it is still important for Fulham to win the matches they have left in the League. At this point they are not going to be relegated. However, it would be nice to end the season strong and show the rest of the League that last year's result was not a fluke. If they could win the rest of their home games which are three, that would bring their point total to 51. I think that point total would be a great accomplishment. I am hoping Fulham can win tomorrow which could give the team nice momentum for the rest of the League season and the Europa League
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/roy_chases_ruiz_519579/index.shtml (http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/roy_chases_ruiz_519579/index.shtml)
Roy Chases Ruiz?
Fulham are interested in FC Twente striker Bryan Ruiz but would have to smash their transfer record with the Dutch side putting a £13m release clause in his contract.
Roy Hodgson watched the Costa Rican international in action for the Dutch league leaders in their 1-0 defeat at AZ Alkmaar on Tuesday.
Left-sided attacker Ruiz has only been at Twente since July last year when ex-England boss Steve McClaren signed him from Belgian club Ghent for £4m.
Sevilla, Villarreal and Everton have also watched him.
http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/16/1426006/john-pantsil-is-not-eligible-for (http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/16/1426006/john-pantsil-is-not-eligible-for)
John Pantsil is not eligible for the rest of the Europa League Matches for Fulham this season
According to the Ealing Gazette, John Pantsil will be not be eligible to play next week, or any other game in the Europa League this season. Pantsil has been out with an injury, but is set to return shortly for Fulham in EPL matches. This is an unfortunate development for the team and Pantsil.
According to the Ealing Gazette article, " Fulham suffer John Pantsil Euro blow" Roy Hogdson revealed at his press conference that Pantsil is not available for the Semifinal. He also mentioned he would not be available for Fulham if they got to the Final of the Europa League. According to this article, the reason for Pantsil being ineligible is he wasn't registered in time for March's deadline.
As mentioned prior, Pantsil could be ready to play as early as tomorrow against Wolverhampton. I look forward to seeing Pantsil back on the pitch soon. He is a very valuable player for the Cottagers.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/04/16/hahnemanns-debt-to-ex-club-fulham/ (http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2010/04/16/hahnemanns-debt-to-ex-club-fulham/)
Hahnemann's debt to ex-club Fulham
(http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/marcus-hahnemann-2.jpg)
Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann will always be indebted to Fulham for giving him his big chance – but warns he is in the form of his life now.
The 37-year-old returns to Craven Cottage tomorrow aiming to make a bigger impression than his time there from 1999 to 2002.
Hahnemann was limited to just four games in west London, before loan spells with Rochdale then Reading gave him chance to join the latter on a permanent basis.
He said: "I was indebted to them for giving me a chance – they were my first club over here and we had a great time.
'From day one, everyone was super good to us but it was just one of those things where I just never got to play."
The veteran is enjoying some of his best form of his career – and puts some of it down to his time as second choice for the first four months of the season.
He said: "I feel great. With all the training I've been doing and the extra stuff I've done this season, it's really paid off for me.
"Maybe not playing right at the beginning helped, because you can do a lot more work when you're not playing than when you're playing.
"For example, this week I've only rode my bike in once, whereas I'd normally do it at least twice.
"I was also really poor in training on Tuesday, but that's always the way when I come back in after a day off, because I'm so stiff."
Hahnemann doubts if some Fulham fans will even remember him, so does not know what reception he will get.
He said: "We'll see – I don't know if they will remember me! It's been a long time since I left.
The goalkeeper has pinpointed a Fulham danger tomorrow – his United States international team-mate, midfielder Clint Dempsey, who is battling back from a thigh strain following cruciate knee ligament damage.
He said: "Clint is really good in the air for someone not so tall, but there's a lot of guys like him, Brian McBride and Tim Cahill at Everton who have a great leap on them with great timing.
"With those attributes, you can really score some headers."
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=270030&cc=5739 (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=270030&cc=5739)
Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Pantsil back for Fulham
John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December in Fulham's Barclays Premier League game against Wolves.
The defender has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up against Chelsea which had threatened to end his season.
David Elm is still struggling to recover from a virus while Clint Dempsey (thigh) and Andy Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into the clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there.''
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment,'' the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost.''
Wolves will again be without skipper Karl Henry who will have to serve the second game of a three-match ban for his red card against Arsenal a fortnight ago.
Dave Edwards could again deputise as Wolves look to build on a run of nine points from the last six games which has moved them six points clear of the bottom three.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has no fresh injury worries following the goalless home draw with Stoke last weekend.
McCarthy insists he never lost faith in Wolves' ability to survive and believes his players have become "more streetwise.''
Wolves are on the verge of securing another season in the top flight but it was a different story in late November when Wolves were beaten at home by Birmingham after an inept display and dropped to second from bottom.
But McCarthy never pressed the panic button and remained calm in the knowledge his players were good enough to finish outside of the relegation places.
McCarthy said: "It's amazing how many happy faces there are around because we are six points clear of the bottom three at this moment.
"But when we were in the bottom three did you detect any anxiety from me? I don't think so. I tried to stay calm and said `let's see how many points we end up with.'
"When we lost to Birmingham at home, I was still full of belief and convinced we'd get the points to stay up.
"I didn't like certain comments I heard about us that were floating around, that we just work hard and run about, as if that is what you get from teams who are promoted.
"I would like to think that what people think of us is slightly different in that we do pass the ball around and do more than compete.
"If you allow outside influences to affect your thinking, than you will suffer but within these walls there was a calm and self confidence that we can stay in this league - although we have still got work to do."
http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=195490 (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=195490)
Fulham - A Fresh Scharner Bid?
The Wigan midfielder, Paul Scharner, has on several occasions been linked with a move to Fulham.
His versatility and adaptability make him a viable acquisition as he is able to slot into central defence or play a role in midfield.
Any previous enquires for the Austrian international have floundered, however, there is a suspicion that a move this summer could prove to be successful.
We understand that the relationship between Scharner and his club isn`t all that it could be and after being substituted, against Portsmouth, in midweek, Scharner stormed straight up the tunnel.
Could this be the summer we finally get our man or has time diminished (Sir) Roy`s interest with the boss perhaps having set his sights on someone else this summer?
I guess only time will tell!
Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=195490#ixzz0lKyCkjAr (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=195490#ixzz0lKyCkjAr)
http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/premierleague/previews/fulham-v-wolverhampton-162133961.html (http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/premierleague/previews/fulham-v-wolverhampton-162133961.html)
Fulham v Wolverhampton
Pantsil back for Fulham
John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December in Fulham's Barclays Premier League game against Wolves.
The defender has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up against Chelsea which had threatened to end his season.
David Elm is still struggling to recover from a virus while Clint Dempsey (thigh) and Andy Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into the clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
Wolves will again be without skipper Karl Henry who will have to serve the second game of a three-match ban for his red card against Arsenal a fortnight ago.
Dave Edwards could again deputise as Wolves look to build on a run of nine points from the last six games which has moved them six points clear of the bottom three.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has no fresh injury worries following the goalless home draw with Stoke last weekend.
McCarthy insists he never lost faith in Wolves' ability to survive and believes his players have become "more streetwise."
Wolves are on the verge of securing another season in the top flight but it was a different story in late November when Wolves were beaten at home by Birmingham after an inept display and dropped to second from bottom.
But McCarthy never pressed the panic button and remained calm in the knowledge his players were good enough to finish outside of the relegation places.
McCarthy said: "It's amazing how many happy faces there are around because we are six points clear of the bottom three at this moment.
"But when we were in the bottom three did you detect any anxiety from me? I don't think so. I tried to stay calm and said `let's see how many points we end up with.'
"When we lost to Birmingham at home, I was still full of belief and convinced we'd get the points to stay up.
"I didn't like certain comments I heard about us that were floating around, that we just work hard and run about, as if that is what you get from teams who are promoted.
"I would like to think that what people think of us is slightly different in that we do pass the ball around and do more than compete.
"If you allow outside influences to affect your thinking, than you will suffer but within these walls there was a calm and self confidence that we can stay in this league - although we have still got work to do."
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1194970.html?cid=rssfeed&att= (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1194970.html?cid=rssfeed&att=)
Hodgson distracted by Europa dreams
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into tomorrow's English Premier League clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
Fulham take on Mick McCarthy's men at Craven Cottage tomorrow in what is effectively a dead rubber for both sides. The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
Hodgson's team will depart for Germany next week hoping to add Hamburg to the impressive list of scalps which has seen them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.
As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.Fulham boss Hodgson before the weekend meeting with Wolves
With Fulham's trophy cabinet currently bereft of any major silverware, Hodgson concedes that he is struggling to focus on the task of gaining three more Premier League points. "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham," the coach said.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds," he went on. "There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four. We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Cottage hero
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides. He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players. I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
Hodgson will be without Andy Johnson (knee) and Clint Dempsey (thigh) tomorrow, although he is confident that Dempsey will be fit for Thursday's game in Hamburg. John Pantsil is also available after overcoming a knee injury which has sidelined him since December.
Hodgson is expecting a tough test from Mick McCarthy's side, who have defied their critics to move away from the relegation zone. "Mick McCarthy has done an excellent job there," he said. "He has organised his team very well, they play well for each other and in Kevin Doyle they have found a centre forward who has worked hard and has scored plenty of goals."
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolvesTeamNews.aspx (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolvesTeamNews.aspx)
Wolves Team News
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Management/hodgson/general6.jpg)
Roy Hodgson goes into Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter against Wolves at Craven Cottage with a healthy complement of players from which to select.
"We've recovered a lot of players, it's just Andy Johnson and Clint Dempsey that we are waiting on," the Manager said during Friday's pre-match press conference. "As you know, Andy Johnson won't play until next season but we're hoping Clint will recover in time for next Thursday's game in Hamburg. Unfortunately, this match against Wolves has come just a little bit too quickly for him.
"John Pantsil is fully fit. He's played two Reserve Team games, he's been training with the First Team for ten days and he's ready for selection. He's a great one to have back, there's no question about that."
Mick McCarthy's side come to the Cottage looking to put more distance between themselves and the teams at the foot of the table - and Hodgson is expecting a challenging game.
"The Wolves team deserve a lot of credit for the way they've played as a team - and their manager, Mick McCarthy, deserves a lot of credit for the way he's got his team playing. The way they get their results is through hard work, good team play and good organisation.
"We've got to make certain that if we're going to get a result, we need to be firing on all cylinders. If we have our minds partially on the game on Thursday and players are not actually playing the game as we normally do, then there's every risk that we'll lose the game.
"The good thing is that for the first time since January we've had a whole week to prepare. That's been very useful for us to get players fully fit and also to give them that necessary breathing space that players need from time to time.
"I think the players will be fully focused and committed on Saturday, and then we've still got four days before we play Hamburg."
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Fri 16th Apr 2010
Inside Fulham Podcast
Wolves Team News
Wolves Programme Preview
Europa Road Trip
Hamburg Away Tickets
Thu 15th Apr 2010
Reserves 1-0 Portsmouth
Season Ticket Drop Off
Hughes' Top Ten Target
Fulham's Loan Stars
Hamburg Ticketing Update
Barclays Premier League Fair Play Latest
Reserves Face Portsmouth
Hamburg Official Travel Update
Hamburg Screening
Tue 13th Apr 2010
Pantsil's Cheer Coming Home
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Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolvesTeamNews.aspx#ixzz0lKzzkysv (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolvesTeamNews.aspx#ixzz0lKzzkysv)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6097506,00.html (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6097506,00.html)
Hodgson admits Euro priority
Fulham boss has one eye on Hamburg ahead of Wolves game
Roy Hodgson has confessed Fulham's European dream will be a distraction for the game against Wolves.
Wanderers striker Kevin Doyle has spoken of his hope that the Cottagers, who continue their quest to reach the final of the Europa League next Thursday, would treat Saturday's clash as a dead-rubber having already ensured their top-flight status.
And Hodgson admits his side will have their semi-final first leg against Hamburg in the back of their mind when they host survival-chasing Wolves this weekend.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/fulham-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers-sat-17-apr-2010 (http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/fulham-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers-sat-17-apr-2010)
Fulham Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sat 17 Apr 2010
Fulham Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: Match Preview
John Pantsil will make his first appearance since December in Fulham's Barclays Premier League game against Wolves.
The defender has recovered from the cruciate knee ligament injury he picked up against Chelsea which had threatened to end his season.
David Elm is still struggling to recover from a virus while Clint Dempsey (thigh) and Andy Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into the clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
Wolves will again be without skipper Karl Henry who will have to serve the second game of a three-match ban for his red card against Arsenal a fortnight ago.
Dave Edwards could again deputise as Wolves look to build on a run of nine points from the last six games which has moved them six points clear of the bottom three.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has no fresh injury worries following the goalless home draw with Stoke last weekend.
McCarthy insists he never lost faith in Wolves' ability to survive and believes his players have become "more streetwise."
Wolves are on the verge of securing another season in the top flight but it was a different story in late November when Wolves were beaten at home by Birmingham after an inept display and dropped to second from bottom.
But McCarthy never pressed the panic button and remained calm in the knowledge his players were good enough to finish outside of the relegation places.
McCarthy said: "It's amazing how many happy faces there are around because we are six points clear of the bottom three at this moment.
"But when we were in the bottom three did you detect any anxiety from me? I don't think so. I tried to stay calm and said `let's see how many points we end up with.'
"When we lost to Birmingham at home, I was still full of belief and convinced we'd get the points to stay up.
"I didn't like certain comments I heard about us that were floating around, that we just work hard and run about, as if that is what you get from teams who are promoted.
"I would like to think that what people think of us is slightly different in that we do pass the ball around and do more than compete.
"If you allow outside influences to affect your thinking, than you will suffer but within these walls there was a calm and self confidence that we can stay in this league - although we have still got work to do."
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/premier-league-football-news/2010/04/16/fulham-boss-admits-europe-is-becoming-a-distraction-97319-26260077/ (http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/premier-league-football-news/2010/04/16/fulham-boss-admits-europe-is-becoming-a-distraction-97319-26260077/)
Fulham boss admits Europe is becoming a distraction
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
Fulham take on Mick McCarthy's men at Craven Cottage tomorrow in what is effectively a dead rubber for both sides.
The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
Hodgson's team will depart for Germany next week hoping to add Hamburg to the impressive list of scalps which has seen them reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
With Fulham's trophy cabinet currently bereft of any major silverware, Hodgson concedes that he is struggling to focus on the task of gaining three more Premier League points.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
Hodgson will be without Andy Johnson (knee) and Clint Dempsey (thigh) tomorrow, although he is confident that Dempsey will be fit for Thursday's game in Hamburg.
John Pantsil is also available after overcoming a knee injury which has sidelined him since December.
Hodgson is expecting a tough test from Mick McCarthy's side, who have defied their critics to move away from the relegation zone.
"Mick McCarthy has done an excellent job there," he said. "He has organised his team very well, they play well for each other and in Kevin Doyle they have found a centre forward who has worked hard and has scored plenty of goals."
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6097456,00.html (http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6097456,00.html)
HODGSON DISTRACTED BY EUROPEAN DREAMS
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admits he will go into the Barclays Premier League clash against Wolves with dreams of European glory in the back of his mind.
Fulham take on Mick McCarthy's men at Craven Cottage in what is effectively a dead rubber for both sides.
The Cottagers passed the 40-point mark with a 2-1 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago, while Wolves' recent good form has seen them move six points clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining.
Hodgson's team will depart for Germany next week hoping to add Hamburg to the impressive list of scalps which has seen them reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
With Fulham's trophy cabinet currently bereft of any major silverware, Hodgson concedes that he is struggling to focus on the task of gaining three more Premier League points.
He said: "It would be nice to say that I have only thought about Wolves and that we haven't thought about Hamburg, but if I said that it wouldn't be accepted because anybody in their right minds would know that the semi-final of a Europa League is a massive occasion for any club, let alone a club like Fulham.
"As a club we haven't had any European experience so of course we have it in the back of our minds.
"There were several hundred teams who entered the Europa League at the start of the campaign and we are happy to be one of the final four.
"We realise that we are in touching distance of such a major trophy and I'm sure that the two matches we play we will give our utmost to get there."
As well as reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Cottagers made the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and also look set to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Hodgson has deservedly earned many plaudits for his efforts, especially given a transfer budget that was tiny in comparison to most top flight sides.
He admits he would like the money to sign one or two players this summer in order to avoid the chaos that hit his side in February, when injuries to several key players decimated his side.
"We have no deals lined up at the moment," the 62-year-old said. "But it's something that our scouts work on daily. They work their socks off trying to find names and suggest players.
"I do think that we could do with that little bit more help with one or two more players in there to make certain that we keep competition for players high, and also so that when we do lose players through injury, like we have done this season, we have the kind of players that are as competent and talented as the ones we have lost."
Hodgson will be without Andy Johnson (knee) and Clint Dempsey (thigh), although he is confident that Dempsey will be fit for Thursday's game in Hamburg.
John Pantsil is also available after overcoming a knee injury which has sidelined him since December.
Hodgson is expecting a tough test from Mick McCarthy's side, who have defied their critics to move away from the relegation zone.
"Mick McCarthy has done an excellent job there," he said. "He has organised his team very well, they play well for each other and in Kevin Doyle they have found a centre forward who has worked hard and has scored plenty of goals."
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2010/04/16/1881746/kevin-doyle-challenges-wolverhampton-wanderers-to-emulate (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2010/04/16/1881746/kevin-doyle-challenges-wolverhampton-wanderers-to-emulate)
Kevin Doyle challenges Wolverhampton Wanderers to emulate Fulham's Premier League achievements
Irish striker wants Midlands side to establish themselves in the top-flight
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Kevin Doyle has challenged his teammates to "do a Fulham" and establish themselves as a fixture in the Premier League.
Wolves visit Craven Cottage tomorrow to take on the Europa League semi-finalists, aiming for a win that would all but clinch safety, and the Irish striker believes that his club have the potential to be in a similar position to Fulham – provided they can retain their Premier League status this season.
Fulham were promoted to the Premier League in 2001 and have become one of the staple teams, now challenging for Europe.
"Fulham's ground only holds 25,000 and they don't spend massive money, so they've proved it's possible to compete at this level," Doyle told reporters.
"They're not in the top six or seven this season but they've done very well in Europe, they're safe in mid-table – they may finish above that – and they had a good run in the FA Cup.
"So if we can stay in the Premier League and establish ourselves, we can look to build like they have since they have come up, nine, 10 years ago."
And Doyle, who has become a firm fans favourite at Molineux since his club record transfer in the summer, is hoping Wolves compete for bigger signings come summer, provided they remain a Premier League side.
"It's just a case of finishing this season strongly and I'm sure we'll strengthen in the summer and we'll go again next season," continued the Irishman.
"Every season we're at this level we'll be able to attract bigger players and maybe go on to better things."
http://hammyend.com/?p=6976 (http://hammyend.com/?p=6976)
Up next: Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
by Dan on April 16, 2010
Who's afraid of the big, bad Wolves? If you'd have asked the question in mid-July, plenty of people would have smirked and suggested, 'Not many'. The pundits, who predicted that Wolves would be heading straight back to the Championship, are pretty quiet about Mick McCarthy's astute management, something which was severly questioned in the wake of the Old Trafford selection furore.
Roy Hodgson's been pretty open about having other things on his mind ahead of tomorrow's game. There's something refreshing about the Fulham manager's endearing honesty but the laissez-faire attitude to the end of our league campaign could produce very different results: a) tweaked teams could struggle to much the punch of Roy's regular first eleven or b) the players could be liberated by the lack of pressure and push on towards the top half, as Aaron Hughes was intimating the other day.
Fulham will certainly do well to treat this game against a well-drilled Wolves side as seriously as Thursday's semi-final first leg in Germany. Hodgson fielded a second string side for the first Europa League group game in Sofia that seems an age ago with the express purpose of delivering a performance at Moulineux. Best laid plains and all that: the Whites were abject and only began to play anything like the football they are capable of in the final twenty minutes.
McCarthy's men have learned the art of Premier League the hard way with Wolves fans well-accustomed to being one of those sides that never quite cements a place in the top flight. The manager's had to be flexible with his formations (never mind his selection) and you sense McCarthy, whose straight-talking should endear him to those bored of the pointless platitudes pulled out in front of the media, has grown as well during the campaign. How McCarthy plays it at the Cottage will be interesting: he'll surely not go for a win for the outset, knowing that a more conservative approach might yield a precious point or even three, should his side be successful on the counter-attack.
Michael Mancienne will probably anchor the Wolves midfield with the hard-working Kevin Doyle, who reportedly spurned Fulham's advances to join Wolves in the summer, bidding to add to his seven league goals. With skipper Carl Henry still suspended, Dave Edwards, who made his first start in three months against Stoke last weekend, will probably partner the quietly impressive David Jones in the middle of the park.
Hodgson's selection will obviously have an eye on Thursday, but the intriguing possibility of a return to first-team action for John Pantsil looks the most eye-catching change. The right back, missing since he clattered into the Stamford Bridge advertising hoardings at Christmas, is ineligible for our remaining Europa League fixtures and might just see the close of our domestic campaign as an ideal way to build up match sharpness ahead of the World Cup.
Nicky Shorey could get a game on the other side of the defence with Chris Smalling coming in for Brede Hangeland. Simon Davies, still nursing the rib damaged in our Wolfsburg win, will probably sit this one out, which could allow Bjorn-Helge Riise an opportunity to roam from the right. Etuhu and Murphy is clearly the preferred permutation in the centre, but resting both might be a step too far. The Gera/Zamora axis has served us so well that you might not want to break it up, even if Stefano Okaka probably does deserve a bit more playing time.
MY FULHAM XI (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Shorey, Hughes, Smalling; Etuhu, Murphy, Riise, Duff; Gera; Zamora. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Baird, Kelly, Dikgacoi, Greening, Okaka, Nevland.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266622/Fulham-set-win-race-Portsmouth-4m-defender-Marc-Wilson.html?ITO=1490 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1266622/Fulham-set-win-race-Portsmouth-4m-defender-Marc-Wilson.html?ITO=1490)
Fulham set to win race for Portsmouth £4m defender Marc Wilson
Fulham look ready to head off competition from Newcastle and Sunderland for Portsmouth defender Marc Wilson.
The 22-year-old has been impressive in a season of crisis and earned a call up to the Republic of Ireland squad.
Sunderland were poised with a £3m offer in January and Newcastle have earmarked him as a target for the summer but Fulham want to step in with a £4m bid and the player is keen to join up with Roy Hodgson.
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/04/16/article-0-0918AA7C000005DC-168_468x366.jpg)
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/169760/Wolves-wanted-Bobby-Zamora- (http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/169760/Wolves-wanted-Bobby-Zamora-)
WOLVES 'WANTED BOBBY ZAMORA'
ZAMORA: McCarthy made enquiries
Saturday April 17,2010
By John Wragg
BOBBY Zamora could have been fighting relegation with Wolves this season rather than heading towards a Europa League final and possibly the World Cup.
Manager Mick McCarthy revealed he had tried to sign Zamora last summer when Wolves were promoted from the Championship.
Now McCarthy has to try to stop Zamora scoring today as Wolves continue their search for Premier League safety.
"How many goals has Zamora scored? Nineteen? I have always thought he was an accomplished Premier League player," said McCarthy, whose side are very short of goals.
"Zamora has played most of his career in the Premier League and you don't stay in it unless you are good enough to be there. Not many have scored that many goals.
"I asked about Zamora in the summer but they wanted to keep him."
Wolves have not scored for three games, while Zamora has been rattling them in, as Fulham have enjoyed an outstanding season and are looking forward to the semi-finals of the Europa League next Thursday.
Zamora's goals have brought him to the attention of England manager Fabio Capello and he has an outside chance of being picked for the World Cup.
McCarthy said he had no idea what team Fulham would pick against Wolves with their European game against Hamburg coming up. But he says Roy Hodgson could be manager of the year.
"We were in Australia with Fulham in the pre-season and they are trying to manage expectations on all fronts now," said McCarthy. "They have played an outrageous number of games and have got results in the league and in Europe. Roy Hodgson will be a candidate for manager of the year and Alex McLeish at Birmingham.
"Hodgson has had a really good time at Fulham. He has good players and has a way of playing that gets the best out of them."
Wolves, who have only lost one of their past six games to climb clear of relegation, face Blackburn, Portsmouth and Sunderland after today's journey to London.
"There are a few clubs who would swap with us," said McCarthy. "But we're still near the bottom and could go down. We must make sure we finish out of the bottom three.
"There are some strange results at this time of year. Some might say us getting nine points out of 18 is strange, so we have to be careful because somebody else could do the same."