Fulham Football Club News

• Nickname:Cottagers
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Martin Jol

• Ground:Craven Cottage
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AJ misses season's opener

14 Aug 2008 - 16:41:07

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Fulham's new signing Andrew Johnson will have to wait a little longer to make his Cottagers debut as he is currently struggling with a thigh injury.

The 27-year-old £10.5million recruit suffered the problem while still with Everton and he is still a few days away from full fitness.

Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson confirmed: "Andy Johnson will not be able to feature because he had a thigh strain when he came to the club.

"We don't want to take the risk with that, although I'm pretty sure he will be able to play against Arsenal the following week.

"When we started our negotiations he had taken part in a shooting practice at Everton just before they left for America and got a strain in his left thigh.

"Then the problem was that during the negotiations there was a break in the treatment, which wasn't advantageous because we weren't allowed to treat him.

"We started to treat him as soon as we could, which was four or five days after the incident, but that unfortunately has cost us a week.

"Had he had continuous treatment I'm sure he would have been fit for this week, but unfortunately that hiatus has cost us."