Thursday Fulham Stuff (22.04.10)

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/quiz/2010/apr/21/fulham-europa-league-quiz

Football quiz: Fulham in the Europa League

Today's questions are along for the ride ...


Evan Fanning guardian.co.uk, Thursday 22 April 2010 00.10 BST  


Roy Hodgson's taxi service is thriving. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images


1. Which Lithuanian side did Fulham begin their Europa League campaign against?

FC Kaunas  FC Ekranas  FC Vetra  FC Banga

2. If Fulham reach the final of the Europa League, how many games in total will they play in the competition?

13  15  17  19

3. Who scored Fulham's fourth and winning goal against Juventus at Craven Cottage in March?

Zoltan Gera  Danny Murphy  Clint Dempsey  Damien Duff

4. How many European trophies has Roy Hodgson won in his managerial career?

None  One  Two  Three

5. Who is their leading scorer in Europe this season?

Zoltan Gera  Andy Johnson  Bobby Zamora  Danny Murphy

6. How many goals has he got?

Five  Six  Seven  Eight

7. Who were the only team to beat Fulham in the group stage of this season's competition?

CSKA Sofia  AS Roma  FC Basle  Juventus

8. How many different national teams has Hodgson managed?

One  Two  Three  Four

9. Prior to this season, when was the last time Fulham played in European competition?

1972-73  2001-02  2002-03  They have never played in Europe before this season

10. Where will the final of this year's Europa League take place?

Dortmund  Barcelona  Copenhagen  Hamburg  

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http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/hodgson-praises-fulhams-spirit-in-face-of-arduous-trek-2147163.html


Hodgson praises Fulham's spirit in face of arduous trek

By Glenn Moore


Thursday April 22 2010

AS Fulham's battlebus rolled into Hamburg yesterday and the players disembarked, staring at the filling skies, they could have been forgiven for cursing their luck.

Seventeen hours on a coach is no preparation for the biggest game in the club's history. And, while it was broken up by an overnight stay in Munster, a traffic accident on the autobahn yesterday added a frustrating three, stationary hours to the journey.

Whether Fulham will lack sharpness as a result, as Barcelona appeared to in Milan on Tuesday, remains to be seen. What is certain is that they cannot approach tonight's Europa League semi-final first-leg believing they might.

The task in the Nordbank Arena is to ensure they return to Craven Cottage next week with a place in the final still in their grasp. As Juventus found in the last round, and Manchester United and Liverpool discovered earlier this season, Fulham take on unexpected powers when playing at their own humble, but intimidating ground.

"It was a long journey," said Fulham coach Roy Hodgson. "It was not ideal preparation for a match against top-class opposition, but I'm pleased with the way the players accepted it.

"They made the most of the situation. I think our team spirit is good anyway, but these long journeys do test things out."

Mark Schwarzer, who at 6ft 7in will have found the bus more uncomfortable than most, said the players had watched a lot of films, drank fluids to keep hydrated and enjoyed three hours walking along the hard shoulder during the jam.

The goalkeeper added: "We are fighting an uphill battle with the trek we have made and it will be very tough for us, but we will do as well as we can.

"They are favourites, and the fact the final is being being played here is a motivating factor, but it also brings extra pressure."

That is especially the case as Hamburg's domestic campaign has drifted since the winter break. They have won four times in 14 matches and a home defeat to Mainz last weekend left them seventh in the Bundesliga. They are now struggling even to qualify for next season's Europa League, let alone return to the Champions League they won, in its previous guise as the European Cup, in 1983.

As a consequence Bruno Labbadia, who replaced Martin Jol at the start of the season when the Dutchman left for Ajax, has an uncertain future.

Labbadia is expected to recall playmaker Paolo Guerrero, who was suspended last weekend after an attack on a fan. The coach can also call upon Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen, Czech midfielder David Jarolim, German winger Piotr Trochowski and, most notably, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Fulham, however, have shown in this campaign every opponent can be overcome, even Eyjafjallajokull.

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http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/matches/season=2010/round=2000041/match=2000965/prematch/focus/index.html?rss=1475149%20Aogo%20out%20to%20transform%20HSV%20hard-luck%20story

Aogo out to transform HSV hard-luck story


by Tim Vollmerfrom Hamburg Arena


Published: Wednesday 21 April 2010, 16.05CET

Dennis Aogo learned "how much it hurts to lose" as Hamburger SV bowed out in last season's UEFA Cup semi-finals and is determined to lay those ghosts to rest against Fulham FC.

Having learned "how much it hurts to lose" in last season's semi-finals, Dennis Aogo is determined Hamburger SV will not miss their chance of reaching the UEFA Europa League final as Fulham FC come to call.

Hamburg lost out to Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup last four, but with the additional incentive this time round of playing in the final at their own Hamburg Arena on 12 May, the 23-year-old Aogo was adamant they would not slip up against their English opponents. "Everyone who played in last season's semi-final knows how much it hurts to lose," he said. "This is why we want to do much better this year, and there could be no bigger motivation than knowing that the final will be staged here in Hamburg."

Fulham are an unknown quantity for Hamburg, as they were to most of the sides they met this season. Having seen Roy Hodgson's side eliminate German champions VfL Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals, though, Aogo knows the Cottagers' lack of European pedigree is no reflection of the danger they can pose. "They have a lot of quality, especially in attack with Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff, so we will have to be careful," he said, adding: "All English sides play the same way; they are physical and aggressive and we will have to match them."

Aogo – who can play at the back or in midfield – is now something of a seasoned campaigner, having made his Bundesliga debut for SC Freiburg at the age of 17 before moving to HSV in 2008. Another fine year has strengthened the former Under-21 international's claims for a place in Germany's FIFA World Cup finals squad, and there are rumours that AC Milan are monitoring his progress. "Of course, I have heard that they are watching me, but this does not matter at the moment," insisted Aogo. "I am purely focused on this match. It is not me that matters, but the whole team and the club."

Hamburg's Bundesliga campaign has not gone to plan this season, and they lie seventh in the table, five points adrift of fifth-placed BV Borussia Dortmund, who occupy the final European place for next season. However, they remain unbeaten in seven UEFA club competition home games, and have shown much of their best form under Bruno Labbadia on continental nights. Aogo is certainly going into the Fulham opener with a certain indomitable spirit, asserting: "With our fans behind us at this stadium, we can beat any team in the world."

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http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/news_article.asp?id=3181


Murphy Lends His Support

21 April 2010 17:19:00



Ahead of his 410-mile trek from Wrexham to Wembley in a bid to highlight the current unfair youth funding policy, Cambridge United Director of Football Jez George yesterday met with Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy who showed his support of the Walk fo

Murphy took time out before his trip to Hamburg for the semi final of the UEFA Europa League this Thursday to express his feelings towards the current situation faced by ex-Football League clubs.

Murphy`s career took the exact same route Jez George will be taking when the walk commences - he started as a schoolboy at Wrexham and moved on to Crewe Alexandra, which is where the end of day one will culminate.

Talking briefly about his playing career history, Murphy spoke fondly regarding his start at Wrexham. "I was very fortunate at the start. I almost fell upon Crewe where I settled for a while. Wrexham had a very homely feel - they really made you feel welcome. Then I went to Crewe and realised how special their Centre of Excellence was and how much time and effort they give to the kids. It was a place of development - not necessarily about winning the next game, but about developing as a player.

"While I was there Dario Gradi played a massive part in getting me back on track. I don't know where I'd be if the club hadn't given me the guidance I needed.

"The possibility if they drop out of League Two and won't receive funding is shocking. A lot of big clubs are falling into the Conference - look at Wrexham, Oxford and Luton. It seems bizarre and unfair as it's the kids that suffer.

"I think that awareness in general about this campaign is limited which is a strange thing as there are so many players that started in the lower leagues. It's something that needs to be addressed and made aware to the players as it's potentially something that could be harmful to the clubs and players. The fact youngsters can't get the funding is so bad that an 8 year old could get the guidance and funding they need, just to have it taken away when they reach 15/16.

"The PFF campaign is something that's important to me and to a lot of players. I personally think it needs addressing really quickly. It's imperative we get people to be aware of the subject otherwise we will miss out on the ability to bring kids through the lower levels. It is completely unfair these teams fall out of the League and remain full time but are punished. They should get the funding too."

George`s `Walk for Change` began on Wednesday morning with Max Rushden and Dean Saunders from Wrexham's Racecourse Ground and will take him via the other affected Conference clubs.

www.protectfootballsfuture.co.uk for more details

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http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/west_ham_united_football_club/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=Hammers&tBrand=RecOnline&tCategory=ahammersnew&itemid=WeED21%20Apr%202010%2017%3A03%3A30%3A380

Boa Morte's eight months of agony reaches its end

21 April 2010



SOME PEOPLE say it is easy being a professional footballer and most of the time it is, writes DAVE EVANS.

But when you hear of the efforts that injured players have to go through, when you hear about players like Dean Ashton failing to make it back, suddenly the job is not quite as easy as it seems.

West Ham's number 13, the unlucky man of the Hammers squad this season, is finally close to a return to first-team football after eight months on the sidelines.

It was in pre-season when Luis Boa Morte last pulled on a West Ham shirt when the Hammers took on Spurs in the Beijing Cup.

He lasted just 14 minutes. A challenge on Benoit Assou-Ekotto left him in a knee brace being stretchered off and with a very long road back to fitness. It has been eight months of tough rehabilitation until he finally returned for the reserves last week.

Boa Morte has certainly been a victim of the boo-boys at Upton Park since he became Alan Curbishley's first signing in a £5million deal with Fulham in January 2007.

Things have not always gone well for the number 13. In 80 appearances in claret and blue he has mustered just one goal, and many saw him as surplus to requirements a long time ago.

But slowly, very slowly during the 2008-09 season he began to win over the fans. He still didn't score a goal, despite an avalanche of chances, but new boss Gianfranco Zola certainly had faith in him and he played a part in the final 10 matches of the season.

The 32-year-old even muscled his way back into the Portuguese national team, playing in their World Cup qualifier in Albania, and though his chances of making their squad for South Africa seem remote, he may well play for the Hammers before the end of the season.

The winger played the first half in the reserve clash with Wolves last week and the full 90 against Spurs on Tuesday.

Reserve team boss Alex Dyer was delighted to see him return.

"It was good to have Boa back," said Dyer.

"He played 45 minutes against Wolves, which is all he was meant to complete.

"Against Spurs he was pencilled in for 60 or 70 minutes, but he said he felt comfortable enough to carry on and he did so."

One thing you could never criticise Boa Morte for was his commitment to the cause. He never stopped running and never seemed to be too affected when the crowd began to get on his back.

"He's an honest professional and when times have gone bad for him, he didn't shy away," insisted Dyer. "He digs in and the crowd has been appreciative of that as his career at West Ham has gone on.

"His injury came at a bad time, because the crowd were just starting to see the best of him. Hopefully now, if he can get a couple of friendlies under his belt, the supporters might be able to see him before the end of the season."

Boa Morte is being pencilled in for a place on the bench for the trip to his old club Fulham on May 2 and his experience could be vital as the season reaches its climax.

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http://fulham.theoffside.com/europa-league/q-a-time-hamburg-sv.html


Q & A Time: Hamburg SV

By: timmyg | April 21st, 2010

Many, many thanks to Chris over at the Hamburg-Offside page for answering my questions to preview tomorrow's Europa League encounter.

Go grab a bit to eat or drink before you begin, as Chris' answers are thorough and quite worth the read.

Do you think having the Europa League final in Hamburg is a bonus or a stress factor?

Having the Final in Hamburg is the only thing that is holding the squad together. There is nearly an open revolt against gaffer Bruno Labbadia, and he effectively eliminated the remaining support he had from a small group of loyal players before and during Saturday's disastrous defeat to Mainz (who were promoted this season—not that they aren't playing well, they are, but we should have managed a result). First, Bruno dressed down keeper Frank Rost for going to the cinema without Bruno's permission with 3 teammates Friday night before the match, despite the fact that the group returned before bed check/curfew. THEN, he removed captain David Jarolim in favor of Soren Bertram, who was called up from the reserves for this match and has never been up with the first team. Rost has since resigned from a committee that mediates disputes between players and club management, and Jarolim has been professional but very cool in interviews since the Mainz match.

Hamburg have been knocked out of the UEFA Cup on away goals for the past two years by the same aggregate scoreline (3-3; both by German clubs coincidentally). Is this something that concerns you heading into the tie with Fulham?

Having reached the semi-finals each of the past 2 years should be playing right into our hands, particularly against an opponent who has never been this far in a European competition. BUT, with all of the turmoil in the dressing room, I think that experience is probably negated. HSV has a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, starting XI, but the rigors of contending for both the Bundesliga title and the UEFA Cup each of the past 2 years really put a strain on those eleven, and we've never had a lot of quality depth to accommodate multiple campaigns.

What has been the Achilles heel for HSV this season?

As I just wrote, HSV have never really had a great deal of depth and that has haunted us this season with a stunning rash of injuries. Here's a list of players that have been injured so far this season: Mladen Petric (ankle and now groin tear), Eljero Elia (ankle surgery), Paolo Guerrero (torn knee ligaments), Alex Silva (torn knee ligaments), Marcel Jansen (ankle and knee injuries), Ze Roberto (ankle injury), Romeo Castelen (torn knee ligaments), Bastian Reinhardt (broken metatarsal bones). Of that list, all but Castelen and Reinhardt were in the starting XI at the beginning of the season. Also, I personally feel (and that of my readership, who almost completely agree) that Labbadia has been a hindrance to what was a very good squad on paper when the season started. Bruno came to us from Bayer Leverkusen in June, and he was practically run out of town there. He had a reputation for training his players too hard and not really being a player's coach. This was in marked contrast to Martin Jol, who was universally adored in Hamburg. Jol left when he went to club management to ask for a larger role in the club's transfers. When club president Berndt Hoffmann told him to get lost, he did—Jol called Ajax about their opening and was gone within 24 hours.

What player(s) should us Fulham fans really worry about?

As far as who to watch on HSV, I would have said Mladen Petric prior to his injury (if you have a chance, find video of his second goal from the second leg versus Standard Liege). Now? I think I should qualify my answer, because it has 2 parts. First, who to watch that will be exciting? Probably Ruud van Nistelrooy, who's been missing goals by the slightest of margins lately. I think he gets his timing down this week. Second, who to watch that is a fantastic player that no one really knows outside Hamburg? That'd be Joris Mathijsen. He is an absolutely world class lockdown defender.

You've had four different managers in as many seasons. Has this lack of managerial consistency been what's holding HSV back from a Bundlesliga or European title, or is it something else? And will Bruno Labbadia be sticking around?

We've had four managers in four years and it's taking its toll. Thomas Schaff led the team to the Champion's League group stages in 2006 but didn't win a match in the Bundesliga (and HSV were dead last in the Bundesliga and they are the only original Bundesliga side that has never been relegated [Bayern were not an original member—they joined in year 2]) and was sacked. No big deal—he wasn't cutting it. Huub Stevens came in and the team rattle off 7 wins in a row to avoid the drop. The following season, Huub announced in November that he would be resigning as his wife had Crohn's Disease and was confined to an Eindhoven hospital. The board took nearly 6 months to name Jol the new trainer and he was a great hire. As I described above, Jol left after only a year, and now we have Bruno. And he will be gone shortly too (at least I hope so). The answer is yes and no—it's taken its toll and the players are starting to be very vocal about it since they are likely to be playing for another new gaffer next season, but we have been able to maintain a pretty high level of competition, as witnessed by the appearance in CL and progression in the UEFA Cup the last 3 years.

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Baird and Hughes in Ruud health for Northern Ireland's Hamburg test

Thursday, 22 April 2010


Northern Ireland team-mates Aaron Hughes and Chris Baird aren't going to let a volcano in Iceland make their Europa League dream go up in smoke.

Fulham have travelled to Hamburg on a mission to keep their extraordinary European dream alive.

The Cottagers embarked on a long road trip for tonight's first leg of their semi-final clash in Germany, refusing to let a volcanic ash cloud blow them off course.

Hughes and Baird are part of a Fulham side that is brimming with confidence after knocking out defending champions Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg on their sensational run.

"We've done really, really well to get here and we're eager not to let it go," said Northern Ireland skipper Hughes.

"We want to take that extra step to the final. There are a lot of us that haven't won something so prestigious.

"Hopefully the extra effort we've put in won't be for nothing. We want to take that extra step to the final. It would be a big thing for the club to win the Europa League."

If Hughes is to reach a major European final he will have to keep former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy (pictured) quiet.

And the Cookstown man has been doing his homework by watching DVDs of the Hamburg hitman in action.

"A few of us, including me, have played against him before," added Hughes. "He's a strong, physical presence and he has a lot of ability. He will be a threat."

While the dream is tantalisingly close to coming true, Hughes and co. are also gripped by a fear of failure.

"That's a view shared by a lot of people," he added.

"All those games that we played, all those games that were changed to a Sunday from a Saturday and that extra effort we have had to put in.

We have to make sure it won't be for nothing and get to the final."

Meanwhile, Rasharkin man Baird has transformed his career at Fulham. He seemed to be surplus to requirements under manager Roy Hodgson but is now, arguably, the club's most improved player.

"Up until a few months ago I wasn't even getting in some of the squads, never mind the team, which was hard to take," he said.

"At one point I was thinking the time had come to move on. I was patient and I have been working hard and I think Roy has made a lot of us better players because he has got all that experience."

Fulham will have to shake off their travel blues to triumph and Hodgson concedes the long road journey has left his side at a disadvantage.

"The plan was to arrive here at 1.30pm to have lunch and that would have given us all afternoon for the physio to work with the players," Hodgson said.

"Because of the delay, they didn't get to look at them until 5pm, which is further disadvantage, but that, I hope, won't hamper us.

"It will be a little bit harder for us. It is not ideal preparation for an important game. Now we've got the night here and we can relax and rest.

"We're going to be playing top class opposition and an away game in Hamburg is always going to be hard."



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/baird-and-hughes-in-ruud-health-for-northern-irelands-hamburg-test-14775536.html#ixzz0lotwUQJq

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http://www.sportsfeatures.com/soccernews/story/46785/gera-thrilled-by-call-of-destiny-as-fulham-fly-into-europa-unknown

Gera thrilled by call of destiny as Fulham fly into Europa unknown

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT / Sports Features Communications

LONDON/HAMBURG, Apr 21: As European airspace is cleared so flights can resume Fulham will take off for Hamburg with their heads in the clouds but insisting their feet remain on the ground.

The west London club have never appeared previously in Europe and their only link with the international club game was when they supplied various players to the London XI who lost to Barcelona in the initial Fairs Cup final in 1958.

Now the heirs of Johnny Haynes and Jim Langley are within 180 minutes' football of a remarkable achievement in an era when power and wealth are more commanding than ever among the elite.

The Europa League semi-finals on Thursday see one comparatively traditional tie in Atletico Madrid against Liverpool in Spain while Fulham go to northern Germany knowing their rivals have the lure of knowing the final will be back in their own Volkparkstadion home.

Gera go-ahead

Fulham's Zoltan Gera is one of the players most relieved that the ties have been given the go-ahead. The Hungarian winger has emerged as one of the heroes of Fulham's progress past Juventus, Wolfsburg and UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk after switching forward from wide in midfield.

Gera, who struck twice in the comeback victory over Juventus and totals 10 goals in 42 games in all competitions, said: "For me this game at Hamburg is the big one. I have never been involved in a game like this before. But I also understand that this is somewhere new for everyone at the club.

"Hamburg are a good side, we know that, but so were Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg. On our day we are more than a match for any side. So we'll go there with the belief that we can do well."

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/apr/22/liverpool-fulham-europa-league

Europa League best preserves Europe's grand and eclectic ideals

The Premier League has generally been oblivious to the pleasures of the junior European tournament, but it should be a competition of mounting relevance

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Many clubs should envy Liverpool their gruelling journey to Spain. Rafael Benítez's team are still going places in every sense as they seek to beat Atlético Madrid in the Europa League semi-final. They and Fulham, who face Hamburg in Germany, are prominent on an unexpected landscape in which Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are nowhere to be seen. Those three were, of course, eliminated in the Champions League.

So, too, were Liverpool, yet it is to their advantage that they were knocked out so much earlier, even if the annual accounts may beg to differ. Whatever the financial ramifications, Benítez's side have a genuine prospect of taking a trophy. The Spaniard agrees that this was never the main priority of the campaign, yet most managers would crave the possibility at their clubs of a third piece of silverware in half a dozen seasons.

Where English football is concerned, the Europa League ought to be a competition of mounting relevance. No Premier League side, after all, got past the quarter-finals of the Champions League and, without major outlay, United and Chelsea will most likely deteriorate a little more. The outlook for Arsenal is a matter of guesswork and Liverpool cannot be certain of the ramifications should an expected takeover eventually go ahead.

England, in short, is a country now primed for the Europa League. The snobbery about the tournament has been absurd, but there are few nations left who can afford to be contemptuous of it. By this stage, there ought to have been a keen appreciation of the challenge it poses. No English club has prevailed in this event, under its previous name as the Uefa Cup, since Liverpool's 5-4 victory over Alaves in the splendidly dotty final of 2001.

Sides from this country sometimes appear not even to try. Martin O'Neill, for instance, wanted to put the emphasis on domestic priorities and used fringe players in what turned out to be a 2-0 loss for Aston Villa at CSKA Moscow in February of last year. Angry fans who had made the trip to Russia were not to be mollified in the Premier League, for which energies were supposedly being conserved. The side did not win any of their next eight matches.

Premier League managers have often looked baffled by the Europa League and its predecessor tournament. David Moyes is understandably seen as a potential successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, but he had better work hard on his answers for a job interview in which he will be grilled on the topic of leading United against continental opposition. Everton's 5-1 trouncing by Dinamo Bucharest in Romania happened as long ago as September 2005, but the club have since got into a habit of inconsequence. In the present campaign, the side went out to Sporting Lisbon in February.

Some fans complain that Moyes "over-thinks" in Europe as the side ceases playing in its normal manner. Whatever the reason, the common bragging about the strength in depth of the Premier League was being undermined long before the misadventures of Chelsea, United and Arsenal, although the latter merit compassion after being pitted against Barcelona.

The Premier League, in its haughtiness, has generally been oblivious to the pleasures of the junior European tournament, which retains a heartening diversity. Since 2000, the prize has gone to sides from Turkey, England, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Russia and Ukraine. This is no parade of also-rans and José Mourinho's Porto, who beat Celtic in 2003, were European Cup winners a year later.

The allure can be intense and some estimates put the number of Scottish fans in Seville seven years ago as high as 80,000. There were even more Rangers supporters in town when their team lost the 2008 final to Zenit St Petersburg at Eastlands, although Mancunians and their police force did not always see it as a fiesta.

Nonetheless, this competition has lived up to the vision of a grand and eclectic tournament to a degree that the Champions League, which is so influenced by brute economics, cannot match. People ought to rejoice in this week's fixtures. Fulham have never won a major honour, but Roy Hodgson's team routed Juventus at Craven Cottage, eliminated the Bundesliga champions, Wolfsburg, and can hope to return to tonight's venue on 12 May, when the final itself is held in Hamburg.

In the Europa League, football is once more the common property of a continent. The ideals behind the creation of the European Cup, with its joy in the reach and variety of the game, are best preserved in the competition that continues night.

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Go play on the motorway


GOT HERE ... Danny Murphy leads the way in Hamburg last night


From ANDREW DILLON in Hamburg

Published: Today

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ROY HODGSON took Fulham's Busman's Holiday to a new level with a training session on the hard shoulder of a German motorway.

Preparations for tonight's Europa League clash with Hamburg were thrown into even more chaos when the team coach got stuck in a three-hour traffic jam.

Hodgson's squad were just 70 miles from the end of a gruelling 17-hour, 600-mile road trip when they were halted by a smash on the busy A1.

So boss Hodgson ordered his men on to the side of the autobahn to stretch tired muscles with a light workout.

Keeper Mark Schwarzer admitted: "It's not ideal preparation but it was good to get out and stretch.

"Whether you come by bus or plane it's going to be difficult to get to a final.

"We have clocked up the miles and this time it hasn't been the best but we're professionals and just have to get on with it.

"I'm used to the mileage. I've got a fair few miles under my belt travelling around the world with Australia."

Despite yesterday's delay, Fulham still got to Hamburg in time to train at the Nordbank Arena ahead of tonight's first leg of their semi-final crunch.

Ironically, this trip is the shortest in terms of miles Fulham have had during this season's European adventure.

It has earned the club almost £7million but they are being made to earn the cash the hard way, clocking up 19,000 miles.

Boss Hodgson has kept his nose buried in his latest read, 'The Bridge' by Iain Banks, to while away the hours on the coach after after being forced to scrap plans to fly to Germany.

He said: "This is an act of God. We have to keep things in perspective. Some people have been stranded abroad with no money to get home.

"But we stopped ourselves from getting depressed.

"I'm very pleased with the way the players have accepted the fact it wasn't easier to get here, something that was beyond everyone's control and the way they've adapted to the situation."

LIKELY LINE-UP - Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Davies, Gera, Zamora.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2942424/Go-play-on-the-motorway.html#ixzz0louutvPQ

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Fulham-line-up-2million-bid-for-Belgian-international-Jelle-van-Damme-article400427.html

Fulham line up £2million bid for Belgian international


Published 18:23 21/04/10

By MirrorFootball


Fulham have made a bid to sign Belgium international Jelle van Damme.

The 6ft 4ins midfielder, who played in the Premier League for Southampton five seasons ago, has just inspired Anderlecht to their second consecutive title.

However, Van Damme will be out of contract next summer - and Fulham boss Roy Hodgson can land him for a bargain £2m.

The 26-year-old said: "I have received a concrete offer from a club in England, although I won't yet say which one.



"I have always said that I will not pass up a second chance to play in the Premier League."

Van Damme has won 23 caps, and can also operate at left-back or in central defence.

Anderlecht general manager Herman van Holsbeeck added: "Jelle has to decide whether he wants to make a financial coup or take a further upward step with us.

"He is a modern midfielder, and very important with his enthusiasm, strength and stamina - and I can still see him staying if he is ready to make a compromise on his salary."

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http://www.skysports.com/football/match_preview/0,19764,11065_3268729,00.html

Hamburg v Fulham preview


Cottagers head to Germany for semi-final showdown


Last updated: 22nd April 2010   


Hamburg are the latest side to try and bring Fulham's remarkable European adventure to a halt.

The German outfit have already put paid to the hopes of Standard Liege, Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven in the knockout stages of this season's competition.

They have, however, been struggling domestically of late, taking only one win from their last six Bundesliga fixtures.

Hamburg need no added motivation, though, ahead of their semi-final showdown with the Cottagers as the final is set to be staged at their very own Nordbank Arena.

They also came unstuck at this stage last season and will be desperate to go one better this time around.

Fulham will fancy their chances of causing another upset, though, especially as the second leg will be at Craven Cottage.

They have ripped up the form book on a regular basis to reach the last four, seeing off current holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Italian giants Juventus and German champions Wolfsburg along the way.

One Premier League win in seven outings has all-but ended any hopes they have of qualifying for Europe again through their league placing, so they will be gunning for glory.

In Roy Hodgson they also have a manager who knows what it takes to make the final of this competition, with the experienced coach having led Inter Milan to a runners-up spot in 1997.

Team news
Hamburg will be looking to former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to fire them to glory.

With Mladen Petric injured, goalscoring responsibility now falls squarely on the shoulders of the experienced Dutchman.

Bruno Labbadia has few other concerns ahead of the game, although a falling out with first-choice goalkeeper Frank Rost has thrown his participation into doubt.

Fulham have been handed a timely boost by the return of Clint Dempsey from a thigh injury.

Hodgson has a full squad to choose from after all his players came through their 27-hour coach journey to Germany unscathed.

Long-term absentee Andrew Johnson (knee) remains the only player to miss out through injury while John Pantsil, Stefano Okaka and Nicky Shorey are all ineligible.

[White Noise]

Hamburg Training Photo's -

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HamburgAwayTrainingPhotos.aspx

[White Noise]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23826925-forget-travel-chaos-the-road-ahead-looks-bright-for-fulham.do

Forget travel chaos, the road ahead looks bright for Fulham


David Smith in Hamburg


22.04.10


So many of the preliminaries ahead of tonight's Europa League semi-final, first leg here might have been scripted for the theatre of the absurd, it has been easy to forget that the grand stage of the HSH Nordbank Arena is about to host a serious football match.

But that is what Fulham boss Roy Hodgson must remind his players. Because Hamburg, struggling for results in the Bundesliga and riven by unrest in the ranks, are ripe for the plucking.

It is quite possible that this once-mighty side, previous winners of the UEFA Cup and six domestic titles, will get stage fright in front of a baying home crowd expecting them to return to this same towering stadium for the Europa League Final on 12 May.

Should that happen, a confident Fulham boasting Bobby Zamora in England form could employ an effective counter-attack to plunder the vital away goals that will make next Thursday's second leg at Craven Cottage so much easier to control.

Forget any doubts about Fulham being fit for purpose following a drive across Europe that took 27 hours door-to-door. The vehicle of choice was not a Megabus but a five star road-liner equipped with every luxury convenience, so Hodgson's men were hardly slumming it.

And they will now be flying home, unlike hundreds of their supporters who have travelled in packed coaches and who will have their patience tested again tomorrow by Germany's go-slow Autobahn system.

Maintaining concentration might be more of a problem. Hodgson and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer yesterday told tales of the entire squad taking an afternoon stroll along the hard shoulder of an Autobahn during a three-hour stoppage caused by a traffic accident.

That sort of incident can be a lingering distraction.

And there were more fun and games during the pre-match press conference where Schwarzer, who spent two seasons during the mid-nineties playing in the Bundesliga for Dynamo Dresden and Kaiserslautern, responded to questions in English by speaking fluent German.

The official translator then took great pride in turning Schwarzer's answers back into English for the benefit of those of us who don't sprechen sie Deutsch, much to the amusement of the Aussie and the assembled company.

If Fulham can find their focus, a remarkable season which has already seen them score stunning victories over UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Italian giants Juventus, and reining Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, may yet offer further surprises.

Wolfsburg, it has to said, were a disappointment. If they were representative of the current middle-rank in the Bundesliga, then Hamburg should hold no fears for Fulham.

Defeat at home by newly-promoted Mainz on Saturday — Hamburg have just one victory from their last six Bundesliga fixtures — leaves them languishing seventh in the table, five points away from securing a place in next season's Europa League.

Now speculation is growing in the local media that coach Bruno Labbadia is on the way out, with Steve McClaren and Gerard Houllier suggested as possible replacements, despite only being in his first year in charge.

If Labbadia wanted a testing introduction to managing at elite level, he's had it. Brazilian Ze Roberto challenged his boss's authority by returning a week late from a winter break and there has been a major bust-up between Labbadia and his goalkeeper, Frank Rost.

In addition to all that, £11million defender Jerome Boateng is ready to jump ship and join Manchester City in the Premier League, where his older brother, Kevin-Prince Boateng, already plays for Portsmouth.

Labbadia's cause has not been helped by a groin injury to Mladen Petric, Hamburg's leading scorer in Europe, which keeps him out of the game.

Petric's goals, including a spectacular bicycle kick against Standard Liege in the quarter-finals and a key strike in an ugly last-32 decider at PSV Eindhoven, have been vital for his side.

In his absence, much will depend upon Dutch veteran Ruud van Nistelrooy, displaying the kind of form that established him as a legend at Manchester United.

Labbadia said: "Van Nistelrooy's presence on the pitch will be important for us. He can score goals and everyone knows that.

"Fulham will play defensively with only one
striker up front, so we will have to be very patient and pass the ball around."

That could play right into Fulham's hands. Maintaining shape and discipline have been keys to their success this term. And, if anything, the problems encountered in getting here will make the team even more determined to reward themselves with a result.

Schwarzer said: "A really long trip can either pull the team apart or to the contrary. And I'd say it's pulled us all together. Sometimes we can't prepare in the best possible way but we have to deal with it."

There is a growing expectation Fulham will do just that tonight.

[White Noise]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/danny-murphy/article/4873/


Travel chaos no excuse tonight





Thu Apr 22 10:02AM


It was certainly an experience getting to Hamburg by bus because of the volcanic ash, but we cannot use the long trip as an excuse for a bad performance.

The club planned our journey to give us the most pleasant experience possible, and we even got to stretch our legs on the hard shoulder of the Autobahn when we got stuck in traffic. We have prepared as we normally would and just have to deal with a freak occurrence - even if the volcano could have picked a better week to erupt!

This game is a unique opportunity for us and none of the lads will be looking to hide behind the travel problems as an excuse. I can't imagine any of our players not being 100 per cent focused and motivated for this game.

It seems we have played 'the biggest game in the club's history' a few times this season, but that just shows what a great period this is for Fulham. The spirit in the changing room and with the fans is fantastic, and hopefully they will have got out to Germany without too many problems.

At this stage, I still won't be thinking ahead to the prospect of a Europa League final against Liverpool because this would mean my focus wasn't solely on the next job in hand - which is of course to defeat a very talented Hamburg side. I will consider the prospect of a final against them if and when it comes to that stage, but for now Hamburg is my priority.

Some people say it is worse to lose a semi-final than a final, but I have played in a few finals in my time and fortunately have won them all so it is difficult for me to say this is true.

Losing at any stage in a competition is bad enough, but the thought of losing in a final is far worse than a semi-final in my opinion. I try and stay positive and don't really consider the prospect of defeat in any game.

[White Noise]

http://blog.partybets.com/201004225791/europa-containment-is-the-key-for-fulham-in-hamburg/


Europa Containment Is Key For Fulham In Hamburg

April 22, 2010


Fulham continue their epic Europa League run with a trip to one of the most consistent squads in the Bundesliga. Hamburg SV lie seventh in the current table and have finished in the top five in both 2008 and 2009.

The key for Fulham is to ensure they stay in the tie and give themselves a big chance in the return leg. It's crucial in European two leg football to avoid conceding a two-goal lead in the first leg. Fulham's only real problem in their journey from the preliminary rounds came when they went down 3-1 to Juventus.

The Cottagers produced something special to overturn that deficit but still needed a large slice of good fortune as Juve were reduced to first ten, and then nine men. The chances of the team managing another comeback of that magnitude would be slim- especially as Europe is now wise to their quality.

For Roy Hodgson, a win in Germany would be huge, a draw would be excellent but any defeat limited to a single goal would still be satisfactory. The manager is likely to use Bobby Zamora to occupy the Hamburg defence and string five across midfield- Zoltan Gera and Damian Duff will be asked to get close and support their top scorer when possible.

Hamburg have some serious attacking talent and a massive incentive as the final will be held at their stadium. In January they acquired Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid and the Dutchman is still a predatory striker.

Hamburg boss Bruno Labbadia can pair him with Mladen Petric, the hard running, combative forward who caused Steve McClaren's England such problems in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, or Swedish player Markus Berg who has shown his best form in Europe this year.

"They've had success if we talk about Bayern Munich and Hamburg, even teams like Dynamo Dresden way back," he said. "The success of German teams goes back very far. If you've ever seen them play you're aware of the strength of German football so, if you get drawn with one, you know it's going to be a tough game, " says Roy Hodgson.

Pulling the strings in midfield is Czech playmaker David Jarolim who has been with the club since 2003 and exerts an influence similar to Danny Murphy in the Fulham ranks. Both players are excellent passers who can calm the side and bring shape to the game.

Defensively Hamburg are built around Dutch centre back Joris Mathijsen and can put out a back four of international players. Fulham will hope to snatch at least one away goal but even the in-form Zamora has his work cut out.

After removing Shaktar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg successively, Fulham will not be intimidated; they should certainly keep the tie alive but it would be no surprise to see Hamburg take a single goal lead to the return. A 1-0 (5.50) or 2-1 (8.00) defeat would still be a good night's work for Fulham.

[White Noise]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23826959-after-my-nine-hour-car-trip-i-hope-roys-boys-find-top-gear.do

After my nine-hour car trip, I hope Roy's boys find top gear


David Smith


22.04.10


Forget travel chaos, the road ahead looks bright for Fulham


It took me longer to drive from Calais to Hamburg than for a volcanic ash-skirting jumbo jet to cross the Atlantic. For that reason alone, I'll be celebrating if Fulham inflict defeat upon their Deutsche rivals here tonight.

Don't sprechen to me about the German reputation for efficiency. Their road work crews transformed the Autobahns on my route map into car parks for steaming Volkswagens and angry black Mercs.

The east-bound A40 at Duisburg was coned off completely. Aren't Germans supposed to think of everything? Well, they didn't think to provide a signposted diversion, so I ended up getting lost. That cost me an hour.

This odyssey didn't end there. Compared to a 35-mile stop-start stretch of the A1 between Bremen and Hamburg, that eternal contraflow on the western side of our M25 is a race track.

Another hour was lost crawling at a snail's pace between rows of bollards where two Herrs, armed with pick and shovel, were attempting, all by themselves, to add two extra lanes to a mammoth stretch of four-lane Autobahn.

I consoled myself with the thought that German superhero Michael Schumacher has hardly driven faster during his increasingly fraught Grand Prix comeback. And the former world champion has had clear Tarmac in front of him.

It had all started so well with a comfortable sleep in a Folkestone Premier Inn — if it's good enough for Lenny Henry etc etc — before catching a Eurotunnel train at crack of dawn yesterday.

The roads through France and Belgium were fine and fast. The sun was shining, the car was bouncing to Bruce Springsteen and the winegums were going down a treat.

Okay, so hitching a ride aboard the Fulham team's charter jet would have been a quicker way to reach Hamburg and a great deal more convenient at 95 minutes from take-off at Gatwick to touch-down in northern Germany.

But the lifting of flight restrictions had come too late for our Fulham Flyer and in times of adversity we all have to grin and bear it, don't we?

Nein, not on the Autobahns from hell we don't. It took nine hours and nine minutes to drive 498 diversion-boosted miles from Calais to Hamburg.
It may have been my imagination but at least eight hours and nine minutes of that time seemed to have been spent at eins, zwei, drei miles per hour on the road.

And guess what? I've got to face it all again returning home tomorrow. Come on you Whites!

[White Noise]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/fulham/7618760/Hamburg-v-Fulham-Roy-Hodgson-says-Hamburg-have-added-incentive-to-reach-final.html

Hamburg v Fulham: Roy Hodgson says Hamburg have added incentive to reach final

Fulham are planning to fly back from Germany tomorrow in time to face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.

By John Ley in Hamburg


Published: 11:15AM BST 22 Apr 2010


There were fears that a prolonged ban on flights to and from the UK could delay Fulham on their return from Hamburg, where they play in tonight's Europa League semi-final, first leg.

The journey from London to northern Germany took the team 17 hours but a club representative confirmed today that they were expecting to be able to fly back tomorrow.

And Fulham are also expecting 400 fans here, with most making the 1,200 mile round trip by land, which will be a huge boost for the club as they attempt to reach the final, also being played in Hamburg.

Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, admitted that having the incentive of the final at their stadium could act as motivation for Hamburg.

He said: "Obviously it will be if they reach the final. It's an extra motivation for them to each the final.

"However Real Madrid had the same motivation in the Champions League but it didn't help them this time.

"But we're aware that Hamburg will be extremely motivated for these two matches because the final will be played on home ground in front of their home fans.

"That's something the draw has thrown up for us to deal with but it's still 11 against 11, the football pitch is still roughly the same size, so it's a question after these two games of which team has been lucky enough to reach the final."

And Hodgson paid his respect to German football, when he added: "They've had success if we talk about Bayern and Hamburg, even teams like Dynamo Dresden, way back.

"The success of German teams goes very far. If you've ever seen them play you're aware of the strength of German football so, if you get drawn against one, you know it's going be a tough game."

[White Noise]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23827064-hamburgs-home-help-wont-save-them-says-roy-hodgson.do

Hamburg's home help won't save them, says Roy Hodgson


David Smith


22.04.10


Fulham boss Roy Hodgson believes there will be no home comfort for Hamburg in tonight's Europa League semi-final first leg here.

The German Bundesliga team are desperate to end Fulham's glorious adventure in Europe because the Europa League Final will be held back at their impressive 57,000-seater HSH Nordbank Arena next month.

Hodgson said: "We are aware that Hamburg will be extremely motivated because the prize will be a final to be played on their home ground in front of their own supporters."

However, he added: "Real Madrid had the same motivation in the Champions League but it didn't help them."

This season's Champions League Final will be hosted at Real's Bernabeu Stadium but the Spanish side won't be there. Having lost 1-0 at Olympique Lyon, Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates could only draw 1-1 at home in the second leg of their round of 16 tie and they crashed out of the competition 2-1 on aggregate.

Hodgson, who has almost a full-strength squad to pick from following Clint Dempsey's return from injury, will tell his players not to be intimidated by a baying crowd desperate for Hamburg to rescue a disappointing domestic season that now sees the axe hover over coach Bruno Labbadia.

He will also remind them that it is irrelevant that Hamburg's home, built in 1998 and one of 12 venues for the 2006 World Cup, will stage the climax to the competition that has taken on the mantle of the UEFA Cup.

Hodgson added: "That's something the draw has thrown up for us to deal with. But it's still two teams, one playing against the other. It's 11 against 11 and the football pitch dimensions don't change a great deal.

"It's a question of which team, after these two legs, have played the better football and which team have been lucky enough to reach the final."

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, fully recovered from Fulham's 27-hour overland marathon to reach this north German port, said: "The motivation is definitely there to play the final in your own stadium and at this stage of the tournament Hamburg are expected to get to the final.

"They are the favourites to go through, even more so with the circumstances that have arisen in the past week. So the pressure is all on them."

If Fulham are to progress they will be looking to striker Bobby Zamora to continue his impressive form tonight. Zamora has 19 goals to his name so far this season — by far his biggest haul since he first made the step up to top-flight football in 2003.

His ability to hold the ball up and eye for goal have led some to call on England manager Fabio Capello to give the striker a chance to test himself at international level ahead of this summer's World Cup in South Africa. Time is running out for the 29-year-old, though, with Capello due to name his 30-man provisional squad on 16 May.

Zamora's burly physique would make him an unfashionable choice for some but Hamburg's Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the former Tottenham striker deserves a chance.

"I think Capello doesn't look at fashionable things — he just looks at the effectiveness more than anything else," said the Dutch frontman, who spent five successful seasons at Manchester United.

"He's definitely a candidate now. He's very important for the team. He holds the ball, he's a team player, works hard and he's an all-round striker. He has proven himself on a European level, which is also very important for him.

"Getting through against these teams and scoring goals in these games makes him more attractive for Capello."

[White Noise]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23827073-hamburg-keeper-will-ignore-bust-up.do


Hamburg keeper will ignore bust-up

22.04.10



Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost says he will forget his row with under-pressure coach Bruno Labbadia to focus on beating Fulham.

Rost and Labbadia clashed in the dressing room following Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Mainz, which left Hamburg in seventh place in the Bundesliga.

Labbadia argued with Rost for taking some players to a movie on the eve of the match - the team traditionally stay in their hotel the night before a game.

The German media compared Labbadia to a schoolmaster disciplining his pupils but Rost now admits the cinema visit was "a mistake" and that he will put personal differences to one side.

"What really unites us is that we all want success. We have to turn back personal pride," said Rost, adding that having four coaches in four seasons has not helped the club.

"Every year comes a new coach with new ideas, a different philosophy. It's incredibly difficult. It's real a drag on both the players and the club."

Chairman Horst Becker has already warned Labbadia that the board will look at his position at the end of the season.

Captain David Jarolim insists the team are united and said: "We want to help our coach and ourselves to come out of this situation."