Europa League Final – Fulham will go out to their biggest game in the clubs 131-year history when they go up against Spanish side Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the Europa League Final in Hamburg’s Nordbank Arena, a game which promises plenty of excitement and drama.
Fulham Manager Roy Hodgson during a training session at the Hamburg stadium before the huge showdown with Atletico Madrid
How on earth did Fulham get here with the team almost being relegated to the championship two years ago if it was not for the final match of the season.
Well there are always the players who were almost relegated two years ago or the Fulham fans who push their team to their limits each game, or it could just be the Roy Hodgson factor.
Roy Hodgson is the factor that has turned the team into what it is today. It was just two-years-ago when Hodgson took Fulham who was in the relegation zone and turned the clubs fortune around notably beating Portsmouth in the last game of the season to keep the club in the Premiership.
Just a year later, that same Fulham side with the leadership of the Mr Hodgson had managed a 7th spot finish along with playing in the FA Cup quarter finals which the cottagers lost to Manchester United.
Hodgson has over 35 years of experience, and you can be sure that this is no fairy tale. This is as real as it gets with the combination of passion, experience and hard will.
Teams such as Rubin Kazan, Ajax, Juventus, Valencia, Villarreal, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen, Anderlecht, Marseille, Roma, Liverpool, Shakhtar Donetsk, Hamburg, Benfica, Galatasaray have all been eliminated from the Europa League this year but a West London side known for their mediocre football have surpassed all of them.
On Tuesday, Fulham‘s captain said “There is no magic dust he (Hodgson) sprinkles on us before every game, He is a manager who works hard and makes sure we know our jobs”
This explanation by Murphy explains it all for me, the players, the staff the fans are all looking up to one guy for this success and that is Roy Hodgson.
The manager has even received praises by John Terry and Sir Alex Ferguson, and is on course to win the first European cup in 13-years as an Englishman.
So regardless of what happens on Wednesday, the achievements of Fulham and Roy Hodgson will not be forgotten.
