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Thursday Fulham Stuff (01/04/10)

Started by WhiteJC, April 01, 2010, 07:43:26 AM

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WhiteJC

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/uefacup/previews/fulham-v-juventus-133209422.html
Fulham v Juventus
Published: Wednesday, 17 March 2010, 7:52PM
Del Piero eyeing South Africa

Alessandro Del Piero is hoping to improve his chances of making Italy's World Cup squad by firing Juventus into the last eight of the Europa League.

The Bianconeri go into the match against Barclays Premier League side Fulham with a 3-1 lead from the first leg in Turin.

Del Piero was absent from that match but is expected to face the Cottagers after scoring twice in Juve's 3-3 draw with Siena on Sunday.

The Juventus striker has not featured for the Azzurri since Euro 2008 and Italy manager Marcello Lippi has not given any indication he will take the striker to South Africa, where Italy will be among the favourites to win the tournament.

That has not put Del Piero off though, and he is keen to send Lippi a message by sealing Fulham's fate at Craven Cottage.

"I'm still very hopeful of making the squad," said the 35-year-old. "I know that Lippi has not chosen the squad yet so there are still chances for me.

"I'm really hopeful about it and I believe that a match like this gives me a good chance of trying to achieve that."

Juve lost ground in their hunt for a Champions League place by throwing away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Serie A's bottom side Siena on Sunday.

Del Piero has warned his team-mates that they cannot afford a similar lapse in concentration.

"We analysed that match the day after with the coach and he made several points that we have to work on," said Del Piero.

"There are lots of areas we can improve and the message was clear: we have to learn and take full concentration regardless of results, whether we are losing or not, so we don't have these kinds of results in the future."

Giorgio Chiellini, Martin Caceres, Claudio Marchisio, Amauri and Michele Paolucci are all injured for the match while the man who scored Juve's opener last week - Nicola Legrottaglie - is suspended.

Zaccheroni will have to choose between goalkeepers Antonio Chimenti and Carlo Pinsoglio as he is also without Gianluigi Buffon and Alex Manninger.

Fulham striker Bobby Zamora will come up against World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro at Craven Cottage.

Zamora was one of the few players to come away from the first leg with any credit and he is hopeful of getting the better of the 36-year-old, who has won 132 caps for his country.

"I thought I did well in the first leg against him to be honest," said Zamora.

"I held it up well and one thing I noticed is that he didn't like to be run down the channels.

"He's getting a bit older now; he wants to fight, pull and push you, so I'm sure I'll try to turn and push him the other way."

WhiteJC

http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/cottagers-ace-talks-up-exit-1045203.html
Cottagers ace talks up exit
Diomansy Kamara says he wants to make his loan move to Celtic a permanent deal after being "impressed" by the SPL club.

The Senegal international joined the Glasgow giants during January's transfer window and injury has limited the amount of time he has spent on the pitch north of the border.

Kamara has made six appearances and scored two goals and is due to stay at Parkhead until the end of the season, with the forward hoping that may be extended.

Despite the exit of Kamara's former boss Tony Mowbray from Celtic, it appears the 29-year-old is not keen on the prospect of a return to Craven Cottage.

Kamara stated: "Leaving Celtic is not in my plan. This is a massive club that I have a lot of respect for.

"I hope to stay at Celtic as I have been so impressed by this club and I think we can do some good things in the future and I would like to be part of it."

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6066530,00.html
Fulham look at defender
Craven Cottage chance for Stewart

Fulham have handed a trial to Histon defender Callum Stewart after he caught the eye of club scouts.

Stewart has been invited to Craven Cottage for three days of training after catching the eye of Fulham's head of recruitment Malcolm Elias.

Fulham will cast an eye over the 19-year-old, but Histon boss Alan Lewer is not reading too much into the trial offer

"Callum has gone down there for three days' training," Lewer told the Cambridge News.

"Malcolm's seen him play a couple of times and has been asking me about him.

"He's gone there to train with their Under-19s and to see if he can cope with that, and Fulham will see if they like him.

"Callum was at Ipswich before he joined us and he enjoys the full-time training, but I wouldn't read too much into it."



WhiteJC

http://hammyend.com/?p=6682
Time to stand up
by lydia on March 31, 2010

Just less than two weeks ago Fulham Fc were pulled out of the Europa League hat. Heart rates began to raise with both excitment and nervousness, and I'm just talking about the fans! This small event in the eyes of many, was a massive event for everybody invloved at Fulham Football Club. Some bigger clubs take this sort of event  as merely routine while other clubs see it as something that is just out of reach. And do you blame them? Did we ever expect this especially with the season that we had previously had? Going from near relegation to storming through the Europa League is outstanding, it simply can't be said enough. When we first qualified for Europe, many wondered how far could we really expect to go? Second season fever was threatening to hit and many outside the Fulham family thought that Fulham would struggle this year. A friend of mine told me that Fulham would be in a relegation dogfight at the end of the season. At the end of the day I couldn't bring myself to be offended by his claim. I definitely did not think that Fulham would go down but I struggled to see how Fulham could possibly balance their heavy fixture list with a tiny squad.

Realistically, did anyone think that we would get this far? I know I didn't. I thought that we could perhaps get through the group stages but anything after that was a bonus. However, Roy Hodgson team decided that they were not going to take the doubters too seriously and produced some  awesome displays that regularly had the Cottage singing louder than ever. My view on Fulham's chances in Europe began to become more optimistic as time went on because not only were we playing well in Europe, but our league form was excellent! Zamora's wonder strike against Shakhtar had me completely turned and it was then that I believed that  this was to be a very special season in Fulham's history. Now that we have knocked out both the holders and one of the favourites, our thoughts will turn to anticipating tomorrow night.

Hodgson has made no secret of what he is prioritising and, even though our league form may suffer slightly, if we progress any further in this competition, it will be well worth it. Wolfsburg are a good team but one that is rather like Fulham in that they sometimes punch above their weight. They have experienced a disappointing season when you consider last year. This will frustrate them so hopefully their frustration makes them careless.

Just ten days ago they were torn apart by bottom club Hertha Berlin at home. This shows us that they can be inconsistant and they seem to leak goals a lot. If Zamora is on form tomorrow night, which I have no doubt that he will be, he should enjoy his evening. History has already been written at the Cottage this season but why should the writer stop there? It's time for everyone involved at Fulham to stand up and make their mark in Europe!


WhiteJC

http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/6066564/Zamora-concern-for-Cottagers
Zamora concern for Cottagers
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora hopes to be fit for the Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash with Wolfsburg despite suffering from a cold.

The forward was sent home from training on Wednesday but Roy Hodgson is nevertheless hopeful the 29-year-old will be fit to face the German champions at Craven Cottage.

Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Aaron Hughes and Danny Murphy should return to the starting line-up after they were rested, along with Zamora, for the defeat by Hull at the weekend.

Skipper Murphy missed both legs of the epic win over Juventus in the previous round through suspension.

Cottagers (from): Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Dempsey, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.

WhiteJC

http://www.teamtalk.com/west-ham-united/6066630/Hodgson-defends-team-selection
Hodgson defends team selection
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson insists he would have "no case to answer" were West Ham to cry foul about his team selection against Hull last weekend.

Hodgson, mindful of his side's upcoming Europa League quarter-final against German champions Wolfsburg on Thursday night, rested Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy, Aaron Hughes, Dickson Etuhu and Damien Duff at the KC Stadium.

West Ham are reported to be considering making a complaint after Hull's 2-0 win moved them to within goal difference of the struggling Hammers - although no confirmation has come from the east London club.

But Hodgson said: "We have no case to answer, I am perfectly happy with the team selection."

Zamora will be assessed ahead of kick-off at Craven Cottage after missing training on Wednesday with a cold but he, Murphy, Hughes, Etuhu and Duff are all expected to return to the starting line-up.


WhiteJC

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/premier-league-football-news/2010/03/31/fulham-blow-ahead-of-europa-league-clash-97319-26148764/
Fulham blow ahead of Europa League clash
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora was sent home from training with a cold this morning ahead of tomorrow's Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash with Wolfsburg.

Manager Roy Hodgson is nevertheless hopeful the 29-year-old will be fit to face the German champions at Craven Cottage.

Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Aaron Hughes and Danny Murphy should return to the starting line-up after they were rested, along with Zamora, for the defeat by Hull at the weekend.

Skipper Murphy missed both legs of the epic win over Juventus in the previous round through suspension.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Dempsey, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.

WhiteJC

http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/3/31/1398389/my-5-keys-to-victory-for-fulham
My 5 Keys to Victory for Fulham against Wolfsburg - Match preview
by Fulhampatsfan on Mar 31, 2010 3:29 PM BST  0 comments



Fulham play tomorrow against Wolfsburg at Craven Cottage. This is the first leg of the quarterfinals in the Europa League. The game takes place at 8PM UK Time and 3PM EST.  The game will be shown in the U.S. on Direc TV only. The second leg will be played April 8th at Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg won the Bundesliga title last year. This year they currently sit ninth in there league. This team can score goals, but can give them up as well. Edin Dzeko, their leading scorer is injured and is doubtful for the match. Regardless if he plays or not this team has other weapons.They should prove to be a challenge to Roy Hogdson and Fulham. Below are " My 5 Keys to Victory for Fulham against Wolfsburg".

1. Fuham need to minimize the away goals and keep a clean sheet if possible.  This key is more about the big picture and the 2 legs. If Mark Schwarzer can get a clean sheet against Wolfsburg and Fulham score at least one goal, I think that sets the team up in decent shape for the second leg. This is not going to be easy.

2.  Whether Edin Dzeko plays or not the Wolfsburg strikers need to be contained. Dzeko has scored 16 goals in his league this year. Grafite has scored 9 goals so far this year in the Bundesliga. Obafemi Martins formerly of NewCastle United has scored 6 goals this year in the Bundesliga. They have a good amount of goal scoring capability. At home it is vital for the defense to shut down the Wolfsburg strikers.

3.  What position will Chris Baird play tomorrow? Chris Baird played well in central midfield against Juventus at Craven Cottage. He could also play at right back if needed. If he plays at CM that means that Dickson Etuhu would be on the bench. Dickson Etuhu has struggled at times especially with his passing. For me I would like Baird at the CM position. I think it makes Fulham more dangerous. I think Stephen Kelly at right back can do the job. He has been inconsistent, but at times has played well. Where Baird ends up playing I think is a key for the match.

4. Fulham need to control the midfield and limit Wolfsburg's Zvjezdan Misimovic. According to 101greatgoals.com, Misimovic set a new record for assists last season in the Bundesliga. He ended up with 18 assists. If Fulham cannot contain this player, they could be in trouble. This year alone he has scored 8 goals and has 9 assists in the Bundesliga. Danny Murphy in many ways controls the midfield for Fulham. He will be a huge key in this match with his passing. If he can get the ball up to the strikers, Fulham could have several scoring opportunities.

5. Fulham need to take advantge of an average Wolfsburg defense. I mentioned in the beginning of this entry that Wolfsburg score many goals. They also give up a great deal of goals. According to 101greatgoals.com, this year they have given up 51 goals in the Bundesliga. There is only one other team in the Bundesliga that has given up more and that is Hannover, according to 101greatgoals.com. I think it is imperative that Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera take advantage of this defense. If Fulham can score multiple goals tomorrow that would really help going back to Germany for the second leg. 

Tomorrow will be another challenge for Fulham to overcome. I am hoping they take advantage of this great opportunity they have tomorrow at Craven Cottage.

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/HodgsonWolfsburgPreview.aspx
European Obstacle
Wednesday 31st March 2010




Fulham will be hoping Bobby Zamora returns to full fitness on Thursday morning to lead the line against Wolfsburg in the Quarter Final of the UEFA Europa League, as Roy Hodgson explained during Wednesday afternoon's pre-match press conference.

"He [Zamora] came in today [Wednesday] with a cold so we decided not to take any chances with this beautiful Spring weather we're having at the moment! Rather than send him out into the Arctic conditions we sent him home in the hope that he will be fit on Thursday.

"Our Sports Medicine and Exercise Science Department are very confident that this precaution was a sensible one. I would be very surprised if he [Zamora] doesn't make it but the risk exists because he didn't train today.

"He's in our starting eleven. We're trying to play what we think is our best Team on Thursday and it would be a great disappointment to me, the Club and the fans if he's not able to play."

Fulham will have to overcome last season's Bundesliga champions to reach the Semi-Finals of the UEFA Europa League, and whilst Hodgson is clearly proud of his Team's achievements in Europe this season, he admits it will take another very special effort to reach the final four.

"What we feel really is a sense of achievement and a sense of pride, having overcome so many obstacles to come this far," said Hodgson. "Knowing that having overcome those obstacles, that were in the shape of very good football teams, we've earned the right to believe in ourselves and to believe that if luck continues to favour us we can go even further.

"We're also fully conscious of the fact, just as when we played Basel, Roma, CSKA Sofia, let alone Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus, that the teams we're playing against are more than capable of beating us.

"It's going to require another fantastic effort on the part of the players if we're going to continue this adventure at the expense of a team of Wolfsburg's quality. Wolfsburg were in the Champions League and they won the Bundesliga last year.

"What I've learned about Wolfsburg I've learnt since being drawn against them and we've obviously studied them as much as we can in terms of sending people to the matches and receiving the videos.

"They're a good team and they score a lot of goals. They've got very good attacking players and they're a very well organised team. In the league they haven't had such a good season up until now, but they've made big strides up the table in recent weeks.

"To get where they are they've shown what a good team they are and we know the task ahead of us is a tough one. To be perfectly honest at this level, with only eight teams left in the competition, every one of the seven teams we could have played are a good team.

"They're [Wolfsburg] a team that has an awful lot of good players in all areas. Like most German teams they're athletic and technical."

UEFA Europa League Tickets: Last Few Remaining!
There are a limited number of tickets left available for Thursday night's UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final (first leg) at the Cottage. Don't miss Fulham's clash with Wolfsburg by booking your tickets now!

Supporters can purchase their match tickets by calling 0870 442 1234 (option 1) or in person by visiting the Ticket Office at Craven Cottage (cash only), which will be open from 9am to 8.50pm on Thursday.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/HodgsonWolfsburgPreview.aspx#ixzz0jpT4d0gP


WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/DaviesWolfsburgPreview.aspx
Play It Again
Wednesday 31st March 2010




Fulham's European adventure continues at the Cottage on Thursday night and Simon Davies revealed on Wednesday that after two stunning results against Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus, the Whites are ready to test their mettle against last season's Bundesliga champions.

"We're more than looking forward to the game on Thursday," Davies explained. "You can sense the excitement in the squad building up to these games. This is all new for us and everyone's enjoying it. It makes all the hard work getting there worthwhile.

"The Shakhtar game was a massive game for us, they're such a big club, and once we got past them we knew we wouldn't play a team much better than them along the way.

"It gave us more belief and even being 3-1 down to Juventus after the first leg, we still felt like we had a really good chance at the Cottage. We proved that. Conceding the first goal early on was a real kick in the stomach for us but we produced a great performance to get through."

Davies is hoping to make the most of home advantage against Wolfsburg and publicly thanked the fans for their continued support as the Whites bid to make further history on Thursday night.

"We know it's going to be a tough game and we'll treat them with all the respect they deserve but being at home it's up to us on Thursday to take the game to them and hopefully take a lead into the second leg.

"We've watched a lot of videos of them this week and we know they're a quality team. I watched them earlier on in the Champions League so I know they're a good team that are very offensive and score a lot of goals.

The fans have been great to us, especially that night against Juventus. After going a goal down they were cheering for us straight away and helped get us back on the front foot.

"It was great to send them home happy and hopefully we'll have a few more nights like that. Hopefully we can continue that way and see how far it takes us."

One player Fulham will be desperately hoping is fit for Thursday night's game is Bobby Zamora and Davies underlined his own respect for the striker on Wednesday, who now boasts an impressive goal tally alongside a unique all-round game. 

"He was the same for me last year – he was great at showing for the ball, holding the ball up and bringing players into play. We really appreciated what he was doing for us last year and he's added goals to his game this year - he's getting the attention he deserved all along.

"He's the full package and he's been awesome to play with this year. He's been unplayable at times and he's taken on an entire back four on occasions. If he can keep going we're going to have a good shout in this competition."

UEFA Europa League Tickets: Last Few Remaining!
There are a limited number of tickets left available for Thursday night's UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final (first leg) at the Cottage. Don't miss Fulham's clash with Wolfsburg by booking your tickets now!

Supporters can purchase their match tickets by calling 0870 442 1234 (option 1) or in person by visiting the Ticket Office at Craven Cottage (cash only), which will be open from 9am to 8.50pm on Thursday



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/DaviesWolfsburgPreview.aspx#ixzz0jpTszmup

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/FulhamvWigan.aspx
Fulham v Wigan tickets

Barclays Premier League
Sunday 4th April
Kick-Off 15:00


Tickets are now on General Sale



Don't miss a day of Family Fun when Wigan Athletic visit Craven Cottage on Easter Sunday (4th April, Kick-Off 3pm).

The day will be one of celebration with street performers entertaining supporters on Stevenage Road before the match. Face painters will also be on hand to add some FFC logos to the faces of our young supporters!

Furthermore, we will be joined by World Record breaking football freestyler Dan Magness, who will be showcasing his skills throughout the day.

Dan recently broke a world record by keeping the ball up for 30 miles across London, starting at Craven Cottage and visiting every Premier League stadium in the capital.

Join Dan and members of the Fulham FC Foundation coaching staff in Bishops Park from 1:45pm for a skills workshop and learn some trade secrets from the best in the business! There will be an opportunity to practice your skills, so make sure you bring appropriate footwear!

Don't miss out on a great day of entertainment at Craven Cottage this Sunday! Tickets are still available, so buy yours today and make it a day to remember!

Buy your tickets now|

My First Matchday Package
My First Matchday offers Junior supporters and an accompanying adult the opportunity to see what really goes on behind the scenes at Craven Cottage in the build-up to matchday. Pretend you're a radio commentator in the press box, run down the tunnel, pretend you're directing the players from the Manager's seat in the dugout, interview a guardian in front of the TV interview boards, see our trophy cabinet and even meet a Fulham FC legend! More info and prices|

How to Buy Tickets
buy tickets online  - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day. Save on booking fees by booking online**
by phone on 0870 442 1234 (option 1) - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day
in person from the Ticket Office: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; non-match day Sat 10am-12pm
by fax 0207 384 4810 (download printable form )
by postal application to FFC Ticket Office, Stevenage Road, Fulham, SW6 6HH enclosing a stamped addressed envelope (download printable form )
Seatwave - the official fan-to-fan ticket exchange
Thomas Cook - match breaks for all Fulham FC home games
* These exclusive offers are subject to availability and not available on the day of the game.

** Lower booking fees compared to telephone booking

Ticket Office - Easter Opening Times

Thursday 1st April: 9am until half time
Friday 2nd April: 2pm – 4pm to personal callers only
Saturday 3rd April: 10am until midday
Sunday 4th April: 9:30am until half time and open to personal callers post-match
Monday 5th April: CLOSED


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/FulhamvWigan.aspx#ixzz0jpUBL4go

WhiteJC

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/matches/season=2010/round=2000040/match=2000955/prematch/focus/index.html
Davies reveals Fulham's growing belief
Published: Wednesday 31 March 2010, 18.05CETRelative European novices Fulham FC have knocked out FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus and as they prepare to meet VfL Wolfsburg, Simon Davies says confidence is growing all the time.

Claiming the prized scalps of FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus in the last two rounds has reinforced belief in the Fulham FC camp that the Cottagers can go all the way in the UEFA Europa League according to winger Simon Davies.

Fulham began the tournament against Lithuania's FK Vėtra in the third qualifying round in late July, simply glad to be involved in continental competition and unsure how they would fare after a seven-year absence. Having progressed through the group stage, though, and then eliminated two former trophy winners, Davies has sensed a shift in expectations among the squad as they prepare to welcome quarter-final opponents VfL Wolfsburg on Thursday.

"Qualifying was one thing, we weren't really sure of a lot of the other teams and how we'd do," said the 30-year-old. "Since we scraped through the group stage with a win in Basle you can sense the excitement in the squad building in every game because this is new for us and everyone is enjoying it. To get past the two clubs we have to reach the quarters has given us the extra belief that we can achieve something in this competition and we're all really excited about it."

Since the 4-1 home defeat of Juventus two weeks ago, one of the greatest nights in the club's history, Fulham's domestic form has suffered. Roy Hodgson's team have lost their last three and Davies concedes the euphoria of the beating the two-time European champions perhaps took its toll. "It's just the way it's gone," added the Welsh international. "After such a big night against Juventus maybe we had a bit of a hangover for the Man City game [a 2-1 home loss] which came so quickly after. We've had tough games but we're more than looking forward to Thursday."

While describing Wolfsburg as a "quality team" who "score lots of goals", Davies is hoping Fulham can use their formidable home record in Europe – they are unbeaten in 14 matches – to their advantage ahead of the return in Germany on 8 April. "We know it's going to be tough; we'll treat them with all the respect they deserve," he said. "But being at home it's up to us to try and take the game to them and hopefully get a lead going into the away leg next week."


WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6066948,00.html
Fulham wait on Zamora
Cottagers boss Hodgson hopeful top scorer will pull through

Fulham striker Bobby Zamora did not train with his team-mates ahead of the club's Europa League quarter-final first leg tie with Wolfsburg.

The Cottagers take on the German champions at Craven Cottage on Thursday and Zamora is a doubt for the clash as he has been suffering from illness.

The problem kept the 29-year-old out of the weekend defeat at Hull City and manager Roy Hodgson revealed the front man had been sent home after reporting to training with a cold.

Hodgson claimed the measure was simply a precaution and remained confident his top scorer would be fit enough to feature in the first leg encounter.

The 62-year-old told Sky Sports News: "He came in today with a cold so we decided not to take any chances with this beautiful spring weather we're experiencing here at the moment.

Arctic
"Rather than send him out in the Arctic conditions we sent him home instead and hopefully he'll be fully fit.

"The people in the medical department are very confident that the precaution was a sensible precaution - but it is a precaution more than anything else.

"I'd be very surprised if he doesn't make it but of course there is always a risk because he didn't train today."

Losing Zamora would hamper Fulham's hopes of taking an advantage back to the Volkswagen Arena for the return leg in eight days' time.

The former Brighton man has struck 15 times this season, including four in European competition.

And while he remains doubtful, Hodgson said he was preparing his team around Zamora starting, admitting the prospect of the striker not pulling through would be a massive blow.

He added: "I'm planning for Zamora playing, there's no question about that. He's in our starting 11 and we're trying to play what we will think will be our best team.

"It'll be a grave disappointment to me and the club and the fans if he isn't able to play."


Achievement and pride
Meanwhile, Hodgson says he is delighted to have progressed so far in the competition despite their domestic campaign descending into mediocrity.

The defeat to Hull sees Fulham lie 12th in the table with seven games remaining, and they have little hope of qualifying for the tournament next season.

Fulham were expected to do very little following their surprise qualification last season, but have upset the odds to reach the final eight.

The likes of European heavyweights Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus have been defeated in memorable fashion by the London club, with Hodgson backing his players to continue their adventure.

"We have put the cup matches in the shop window," he said. "We feel a sense of achievement and pride that we have overcome so many obstacles to get this far.

"Having overcome those obstacles, many of which were in the shape of very good teams, we have earned the right to believe in ourselves and to believe that, if luck continues to favour us, we can go even further."

He added: "The hard work getting here has been all worthwhile. Then to get past the two clubs we beat to get to the quarters has given us that extra belief that we can achieve something in this cup."

WhiteJC

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/88654
Zamora set for late fitness test
Football: Fulham will be sweating over the availability of striker Bobby Zamora after he was sent home from training with a cold Wednesday morning ahead of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash with Wolfsburg.

Manager Roy Hodgson is nevertheless hopeful the 29-year-old will be fit to face the German champions at Craven Cottage.

Zamora, Fuham's top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions, will be assessed before kick-off today and is likely to feature.

Hodgson will be relying on the formidable frontman as the London side look to progress in the Europa League competition in one of Fulham's most successful seasons of recent years.

Hodgson admitted he was "on top of the world" after seeing his side knock Juventus out of the Europa League 5-4 on aggregate in the last round and now the Cottagers are only four games away from a European final.

Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Aaron Hughes and Danny Murphy should return to the starting line-up after they were rested, along with Zamora, for the defeat by Hull at the weekend.

Skipper Murphy missed both legs of the epic win over Juventus in the previous round through suspension.

Aaron Hughes said: "Hopefully I'll be back on Thursday night. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, and of course, I don't want to be left out.

"That said, I understand the manager's reasons for making changes because we have played a lot of games this season. But this is a game that we all want to be involved in - it's another massive night for the club."

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/03/31/fulham-v-wolfsburg-82029-26151044/
Fulham v Wolfsburg
FULHAM frontman Bobby Zamora faces a race against time to be fit for for tomorrow's Europa League quarter-final clash.

The 29-year-old has been laid up through illness which ruled him out of Saturday's defeat at Hull City, and was sent home from training today with a cold.

But Whites boss Roy Hodgson is hopeful the 15-goal striker will recover to face the Bundesliga champions at Craven Cottage.

He said: "I'd be very surprised if he doesn't make it but of course there is always a risk because he didn't train today."

Hodgson is already without John Pantsil and Andy Johnson (injured), while Stefano Okaka, Nicky Shorey, Andranik, Fredrik Stoor, Rob Milsom, Wayne Brown and Matthew Briggs are all unavailable.


WhiteJC

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/03/31/SOCCER_Fulham_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=soccer
HODGSON WARY OF WOLFSBURG THREAT

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has no intention of taking Wolfsburg lightly as he attempts to guide his side into yet more unchartered territory.

Fulham's Europa League adventure has already seen them account for UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Italian giants Juventus.

Wolfsburg may not be as quite as big a name as the Serie A giants but they are the Bundesliga champions and began the season in the Champions League - exiting the tournament after Manchester United beat them 3-1 thanks to Michael Owen's hat-trick.

Hodgson has dismissed suggestions they are any less of a threat to his side's chances of a historic place in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't say that," he said. "Wolfsburg were in the Champions League, they won the German league last year ahead of Bayern Munich. And Bayern Munich have just beaten Manchester United - so we have no chance.

"What I've learned about Wolfsburg I have only learned since we were drawn against them. But I know they are a good team, they score a lot of goals, they have good attacking players and they are hard-working and well-organised.

"We know the task is a tough one but for me every one of the seven teams we could have played is a good team and a team capable of beating us."

Fulham have lost their last three matches since that epic night at Craven Cottage when Juve were hammered 4-1.

But Hodgson rested five key players in last weekend's defeat at Hull as he prioritised the first leg at Craven Cottage.

"I don't think our performances have been worthy of criticism but there is no doubt that, all the time we were in the cup competitions, they would be somewhat more of a priority than the league because in the league we are relatively safe," he said.

"We have put the cup matches in the shop window.

"We feel a sense of achievement and pride that we have overcome so many obstacles to get this far.

"Having overcome those obstacles, many of which were in the shape of very good teams, we have earned the right to believe in ourselves and to believe that, if luck continues to favour us, we can go even further.

"But we are also conscious of the fact that the teams we are playing are more than capable of beating us so it's going to require another fantastic effort if we are going to continue this adventure."

Midfielder Simon Davies sees no reason why Fulham cannot go all the way in the competition, but echoed his manager's sentiments that Wolfsburg will be no pushovers.

"The hard work getting here has been all worthwhile," he said. "Then to get past the two clubs we beat to get to the quarters has given us that extra belief that we can achieve something in this cup.

"But we know Wolfsburg are a quality team, we've watched a lot of videos this week. They are very offensive and score a lot of goals. It will be a tough game."


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http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=1470905.html
Gentner mindful of Fulham mindset

VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Christian Gentner is wary of Fulham FC's spirit given the way the Londoners came back from 4-1 down on aggregate to eliminate Juventus two weeks ago. "Everyone expected Juventus to go through so turning the game around and coming out on top demonstrates their mental strength and a will not to give up, so this something we have to take into account," said the 24-year-old, whose extra-time winner against FC Rubin Kazan sent Die Wölfe through to the quarter-finals. "Being at home Fulham have the upper hand but we started away from home in the last round and went through, so we want to do the same again."

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http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/matches/season=2010/round=2000040/match=2000955/prematch/preview/index.html
Fulham vow to show true colours
Published: Wednesday 31 March 2010, 20.05CET
Roy Hodgson is confident his Fulham FC side can put their recent domestic slump behind them as they welcome a VfL Wolfsburg side with injury concerns over in-form striker Edin Džeko.

As Fulham FC, like visitors VfL Wolfsburg, prepare to enter uncharted territory in the shape of Thursday's UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg, manager Roy Hodgson is confident a recent downturn in domestic form has not affected his team's confidence.

The euphoric 4-1 defeat of Juventus in the round of 16 decider two weeks ago is Fulham's sole victory in their last nine matches. Since when they been beaten by Manchester City FC, exited the FA Cup against Tottenham Hotspur FC and, on Saturday, lost to Premier League strugglers Hull City AFC. Hodgson remains unruffled, and believes his side have not always got the results their performances have deserved.

"Against Man City we were unlucky to lose and at Tottenham we played extremely well, probably better even than against Juventus, while on Saturday we were undone by two unusual goals," said Hodgson, who would be "very surprised" if Bobby Zamora is not fit after sending the forward home from training with a cold.

Hodgson added: "The rest of the time we had the better of the play and so our momentum and the way we're playing is certainly every bit as good as it was when we played Juventus. I'm sure our confidence has not been dented in any way by those results."

Mid-table in Germany having won the title for the first time last season, Wolfsburg have performed impressively since joining the competition from the UEFA Champions League. "They've knocked out Rubin Kazan and Villarreal to get where they are so any team that's capable of beating Russian champions and top Spanish teams is obviously a team that is in good form," Hodgson said.

Striker Edin Džeko has helped Wolfsburg transfer that form into the Bundesliga, scoring six goals in his last six matches, but is nursing a knee injury and is caretaker coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner's only doubt. "I have Grafite and Obafemi Martins as options, even if they also have issues after the last game, but I'm not thinking about that right now – if Džeko doesn't play we'll go from there," said Köstner.

He also made light of Fulham's form, adding: "You know how experienced their coach is and how strong they are so we need approach the game with a lot of respect for our opponents."


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http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=290170&cc=5739
Hodgson wary of Wolfsburg
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has no intention of taking Wolfsburg lightly as he attempts to guide his side into yet more unchartered territory.
Fulham's Europa League adventure has already seen them account for UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Italian giants Juventus.

Wolfsburg may not be as quite as big a name as the Serie A giants but they are the Bundesliga champions and began the season in the Champions League - exiting the tournament after Manchester United beat them 3-1 thanks to Michael Owen's hat-trick.

Hodgson has dismissed suggestions they are any less of a threat to his side's chances of a historic place in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't say that,'' he said. "Wolfsburg were in the Champions League, they won the German league last year ahead of Bayern Munich. And Bayern Munich have just beaten Manchester United - so we have no chance.

"What I've learned about Wolfsburg I have only learned since we were drawn against them. But I know they are a good team, they score a lot of goals, they have good attacking players and they are hard-working and well-organised.

"We know the task is a tough one but for me every one of the seven teams we could have played is a good team and a team capable of beating us.''

Fulham have lost their last three matches since that epic night at Craven Cottage when Juve were hammered 4-1.

But Hodgson rested five key players in last weekend's defeat at Hull as he prioritised Thursday's first leg at Craven Cottage.

"I don't think our performances have been worthy of criticism but there is no doubt that, all the time we were in the cup competitions, they would be somewhat more of a priority than the league because in the league we are relatively safe,'' he said.

"We have put the cup matches in the shop window.

"We feel a sense of achievement and pride that we have overcome so many obstacles to get this far.

"But we are also conscious of the fact that the teams we are playing are more than capable of beating us so it's going to require another fantastic effort if we are going to continue this adventure.''

Wolfsburg manager Lorenz-Gunther Kostner told this side they will need to produce something "exceptional'' to win following Fulham's giant-killing run so far.

Kostner said: "We need to come up with some extraordinary performances tomorrow.

"Roy Hodgson is such an experienced manager who had huge success with teams abroad.

"Here at Fulham he has built up a team that not only plays very good football but is also really tight and when they are at their best they are capable of beating any opponent.''

Despite Fulham's recent stuttering form since their win over Juve, Kostner is wary they are unbeaten at home in Europe and this tournament is now their priority.

Kostner said: "The Juventus game was not a one-off. They have played Roma (drawing 1-1 at Craven Cottage) and other big teams,'' he said.

"When you look at Fulham as a club you have to respect them.''

WhiteJC

http://www.goal.com/en/news/166/europa-league/2010/03/31/1858131/europa-league-preview-fulham-vfl-wolfsburg
Europa League Preview: Fulham - VfL Wolfsburg
Modest Londoners aim to keep European dream alive against reigning German champions

After suffering a 3-1 defeat against Juventus in Turin and then going a goal down after just two minutes in the return leg at Craven Cottage, Fulham looked dead, buried and well and truly eliminated from the Europa League. Four goals later though, the last of which was a delightful chip from Clint Dempsey, and Roy Hodgson's men were celebrating a miraculous quarter final place.

That victory on a cold Thursday night is the only one in Fulham's last five games in all competitions however – the latest defeat coming at the hands of relegation strugglers Hull City. Hodgson afforded some of his key players a much-needed rest over the weekend though, with the Europa League now the priority

After suffering a 3-1 defeat against Juventus in Turin and then going a goal down after just two minutes in the return leg at Craven Cottage, Fulham looked dead, buried and well and truly eliminated from the Europa League. Four goals later though, the last of which was a delightful chip from Clint Dempsey, and Roy Hodgson's men were celebrating a miraculous quarter final place.

That victory on a cold Thursday night is the only one in Fulham's last five games in all competitions however – the latest defeat coming at the hands of relegation strugglers Hull City. Hodgson afforded some of his key players a much-needed rest over the weekend though, with the Europa League now the priority