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Saturday Fulham Stuff... (08/05/10)

Started by WhiteJC, May 08, 2010, 06:32:48 AM

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WhiteJC

http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/6140575/Hodgson-would-love-top-four-shot
Hodgson would love top four shot
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson would jump at the chance of a move to a top club despite admitting he is more than happy with life at Craven Cottage.

Hodgson has demonstrated his managerial talent this season by taking his side to next Wednesday's Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

The run has seen him linked with Liverpool and also the England job if Fabio Capello should leave after this summer's World Cup.

Hodgson, who is on a one-year rolling contract at Craven Cottage, would love the opportunity to manage a top club, but that is not to say he is looking for a way out of Fulham.

"If the day comes when a so-called big club wants me and I'm available then I would be happy to do it," he said.

"If the question is 'Now you've reached this final are you putting yourself on the market to try to get the biggest club you can get?' then the answer is no, I'm not.

"I've signed a contract here. I'm happy at Fulham. Until I hear otherwise that's where I intend to be working.

"There's always speculation about managers. The speculation is rife about me at the moment but it will be rife around someone else in the future. That's the nature of things."

At 62 no one could say Hodgson has not beearound. His career has seen him stop off at Halmstads, Bristol City, Orebro, Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax, Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshopper, Copenhagen, Udinese, Viking, and Fulham.

On top of that he has managed Switzerland to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup as well as qualification for Euro 96, plus he has managed the United Arab Emirates and Finland.

He also speaks fluent Norwegian, Swedish, Italian, German and a smattering of German, French and Finnish.

But try to get him to accept any praise for his achievements and you might as well be talking double Dutch.

He refuses to take the credit for prolonging the career of Fulham captain Danny Murphy, for drawing the best out of striker Bobby Zamora and rejuvenating Damien Duff.

Instead, he launches into yet another of those mixed analogies for which he is famed.

"Coaches lead players to the water and the players either drink or decide they want to jump over the stream," said Hodgson.

"That's what our job is. We prepare, orchestrate and direct but in the end it's not the concert director who plays the violin. It's the people themselves. A good director can help them by leading them the right way and getting their talent to the fore but coaches should never take credit for individual player performances. It is the players who have to take credit."

As it is Zamora (Achilles) and Duff (leg injury) are struggling to be fit for Wednesday. Neither will play any part in Fulham's final league game tomorrow against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium when Hodgson has to decide whether to rest most of his first team.

Chances are there will be half a dozen changes at least from the midweek defeat against Stoke for a match the Premier League refused to bring forward 24 hours to give Fulham more time to prepare for their big day.

Whatever he decides Hodgson will entertain no criticism.

He said: "I would be mortified if anybody started doubting either my or Mohamed Al Fayed's (Fulham chairman) integrity. Our integrity has been proved. It is a meaningless game pretty much.

"We can finish 10th at best, 13th at worst. Arsenal I suppose could finish fourth if we beat them and Tottenham win (against Burnley) but Fulham have never won a game at the Emirates with any team they have put out. Whatever decision I make will be for the good of the club and will have Wednesday night in mind."

That is Hodgson. Honest, pragmatic, intelligent, artistic.

Not many football managers would compare a career which he maintains has "gone sideways, backwards, then upwards again" to a "Kandinsky painting."

Not many Premier League bosses would even know Wasilly Kandinsky was an abstract artist with a penchant for improvisation.

But Hodgson does. He devours information. Admires creativity. And is proud of his current Fulham side and their contribution to 21st Century football.

"The Premier League can't have only Man Uniteds, Chelseas Liverpools and Arsenals," he said. "It's a fantastic achievement of this club to have been in the Premier League 10 years next season.

"We don't pretend to be Man United or Arsenal. We don't have that wealth or that fan base. We can't be expecting to be in European finals every year. That is the domain of the clubs who can pay £25m for players. We can't do that."

No, but on Wednesday Fulham and Hodgson are in a European final. Win or lose, English football should be proud.

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6140653,00.html
Hodgson open to big move
But only when the timing is right

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson admits he would be foolish to dismiss the possibility of managing a 'so-called big club' in the near future.

The veteran tactician has enjoyed a sensational season at the helm of the Cottagers, guiding them into the final of a European competition for the first time in the club's history.

The dream Europa League run has seen his side overcome Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg to name but a few, and a final date with Atletico Madrid now awaits.

Speculation linking him with Liverpool and even England has since circulated as a result of his heroics, however Hodgson, who is on a one-year rolling contract at Craven Cottage, said: "If the day comes when a so-called big club wants me and I'm available then I would be happy to do it.

Speculation
"If the question is 'Now you've reached this final are you putting yourself on the market to try to get the biggest club you can get?' then the answer is no, I'm not.

"I've signed a contract here. I'm happy at Fulham. Until I hear otherwise that's where I intend to be working.

"There's always speculation about managers. The speculation is rife about me at the moment but it will be rife around someone else in the future. That's the nature of things."

The 62-year-old has certainly been around the grounds since first stepping into management at Swedish club Halmstads in 1976.

Since then he has taken charge of Bristol City, Orebro, Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax, Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshopper, Copenhagen, Udinese, Viking, and Fulham.

He has also has steered Switzerland to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup as well as qualification for Euro 96, plus he has managed the United Arab Emirates and Finland.


Credit
But victory in Hamburg on Wednesday will surely be his greatest achievement to date.

"Coaches lead players to the water and the players either drink or decide they want to jump over the stream," said Hodgson.

"That's what our job is. We prepare, orchestrate and direct but in the end it's not the concert director who plays the violin. It's the people themselves.

"A good director can help them by leading them the right way and getting their talent to the fore but coaches should never take credit for individual player performances. It is the players who have to take credit."

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6140706,00.html
Davies reveals injury fear
Winger insists Cottagers will not be gung-ho in Europa League final

Simon Davies feared the foot injury he sustained earlier in the campaign was going to stop him playing a leading role in Fulham's Europa League fairytale.

The Cottagers midfielder missed five months of the season with a painful foot injury which required two operations and left the 30-year-old with a couple of screws in his left foot.

Davies admits he believed the problem would put paid to his hopes of helping Fulham's European adventure but praised the Craven Cottage medical team for getting him into shape and allowing him to star in his side's heroics.

"I didn't think I would be playing any part in the season at all to be honest," the Welsh winger, who scored a stunning equaliser in the semi-final success over Hamburg, told The Daily Star.

"At one point I totally feared my season would be wiped out. I was really struggling.

"Even coming back in February I thought maybe I could get a few games at the end of the season, but the season has been bigger and bigger so it's just been amazing - these last six weeks the physio has been brilliant."

Solid
Fulham's route to the final has included the scalps of Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg with the triumph over the Old Lady coming with an emphatic 4-1 win at Craven Cottage.

But Davies insists manager Roy Hodgson makes sure the Cottagers are not a gung-ho side contrary to results in this year's competition.

"People say teams reflect their manager and obviously we've had a lot of attention recently and everyone thinks Fulham must be this great team, really attacking.

"But we're not. We're really hard working, a well-organised team. We keep our shape, we are a frustrating team to play against and we are good on the break."

"That's the way we have been. We are solid."


WhiteJC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8669933.stm
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson keen on future "big club" job
Roy Hodgson admits he would be keen to lead a "big club" in the future but has vowed to remain Fulham manager for now.

The 62-year-old, on a one-year rolling deal, has been linked with Liverpool and the England team after guiding the Cottagers to the Europa League final.

"If the day comes when a so-called big club wants me and I'm available, I'd be happy to do it," said Hodsgon.

But he added: "I've signed a contract, I'm happy at Fulham. Until I hear otherwise that's where I intend to be."

Hodgson has significantly enhanced his managerial reputation since succeeding Lawrie Sanchez as Fulham manager in December 2008.

The Englishman saved the Cottagers from relegation on the final day of the 2007-08 season and guided them into the Europa League the following campaign.

Hodgson has overseen further progress this term, most notably Fulham's remarkable run to Wednesday's Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

He has been tipped to receive the League Managers Association Manager of the Year award on 10 May and rumours have persisted that he may be lured away from west London in the summer.

"If the question is 'Now you've reached this final are you putting yourself on the market to try to get the biggest club you can get?' then the answer is no, I'm not," commented Hodgson ahead of Sunday's final-day trip to Arsenal.

"There's always speculation about managers. The speculation is rife about me at the moment but it will be rife around someone else in the future. That's the nature of things."

In his 34-year managerial career, Hodgson has coached Halmstads, Bristol City, Orebro, Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax, Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshopper, Copenhagen, Udinese, Viking, and Fulham.

He led Switzerland to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 96, also managing the United Arab Emirates and Finland.

WhiteJC

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1275123/Fulham-boss-Roy-Hodgson-admits-big-job.html?ITO=1490
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson admits he would take a big-four job

Roy Hodgson admits he would jump at a job with one of football's big clubs but only if the timing was right.   

The Fulham boss has demonstrated his managerial talent this season by taking his side to next Wednesday's Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

The run has seen him linked with Liverpool and with the England job if Fabio Capello should leave after this summer's World Cup. 

Hodgson, who is on a one-year rolling contract at Craven Cottage, said: 'If the day comes when a so-called big club wants me and I'm available then I would be happy to do it.   

'If the question is "Now you've reached this final are you putting yourself on the market to try to get the biggest club you can get?" then the answer is no, I'm not.   

'I've signed a contract here. I'm happy at Fulham. Until I hear otherwise that's where I intend to be working. 

'There's always speculation about managers. The speculation is rife about me at the moment but it will be rife around someone else in the future. That's the nature of things.' 

At 62 no one could say Hodgson has not been around. His career has seen him stop off at Halmstads, Bristol City, Orebro, Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax, Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshopper, Copenhagen, Udinese, Viking, and Fulham.   

On top of that he has managed Switzerland to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup as well as qualification for Euro 96, plus he has managed the United Arab Emirates and Finland. 

He also speaks fluent Norwegian, Swedish, Italian, German and a smattering of German, French and Finnish.   

But try to get him to accept any praise for his achievements and you might as well be talking double Dutch. 

He refuses to take the credit for prolonging the career of Fulham captain Danny Murphy, for drawing the best out of striker Bobby Zamora and rejuvenating Damien Duff. 

Instead, he launches into yet another of those mixed analogies for which he is famed.
'Coaches lead players to the water and the players either drink or decide they want to jump over the stream,' said Hodgson. 

'That's what our job is. We prepare, orchestrate and direct but in the end it's not the concert director who plays the violin. It's the people themselves. A good director can help them by leading them the right way and getting their talent to the fore but coaches should never take credit for individual player performances. It is the players who have to take credit.' 

As it is Zamora (Achilles)and Duff (leg injury) are struggling to be fit for Wednesday. Neither will play any part in Fulham's final league game tomorrow against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium when Hodgson has to decide whether to rest most of his first team.

Chances are there will be half a dozen changes at least from the midweek defeat against Stoke for a match the Premier League refused to bring forward 24 hours to give Fulham more time to prepare for their big day.   

Whatever he decides Hodgson will entertain no criticism.   

He said: 'I would be mortified if anybody started doubting either my or Mohamed Al Fayed's (Fulham chairman) integrity. Our integrity has been proved. It is a meaningless game pretty much.   

'We can finish 10th at best, 13th at worst. Arsenal I suppose could finish fourth if we beat them and Tottenham win (against Burnley) but Fulham have never won a game at the Emirates with any team they have put out. Whatever decision I make will be for the good of the club and will have Wednesday night in mind.'   

That is Hodgson. Honest, pragmatic, intelligent, artistic. Not many football managers would compare a career which he maintains has 'gone sideways, backwards, then upwards again' to a 'Kandinsky painting.'   

Not many Premier League bosses would even know Wasilly Kandinsky was an abstract artist with a penchant for improvisation.   

But Hodgson does. He devours information. Admires creativity. And is proud of his current Fulham side and their contribution to 21st Century football.   

'The Premier League can't have only Man Uniteds, Chelseas Liverpools and Arsenals,' he said. 'It's a fantastic achievement of this club to have been in the Premier League 10 years next season.   

'We don't pretend to be Man United or Arsenal. We don't have that wealth or that fan base. We can't be expecting to be in European finals every year. That is the domain of the clubs who can pay £25m for players. We can't do that.' 

No, but on Wednesday Fulham and Hodgson are in a European final. Win or lose, English football should be proud.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1275123/Fulham-boss-Roy-Hodgson-admits-big-job.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0nLananrS