Source: SKY_Sports
Hodgson brushes off defeat
Roy Hodgson heaped praise on his Fulham side despite losing out to Everton in the final game of the season.
The Cottagers still secured qualification for the new-look Europa League as Tottenham slumped to defeat against Liverpool.
The 61-year-old manager was not concerned with the final-day defeat and instead chose to focus on finishing seventh in the Premier League table.
"I think it's a great achievement and I'm really proud of it and really proud of what the players have achieved for this club," Hodgson told Sky Sports.
"It's done with a lot of hard work, I think over 38 games you end up where you deserve to be.
"They'll (the players) be disappointed that we've met a very good Everton team today and we couldn't sign off in style.
Glory
"But I've got to say that I should quickly put this defeat behind me and I shall be basking in the glory of the seventh place and the chance to play in the new Europa League."
Hodgson has played down the importance of qualifying for the Europa League in the past due to the strain it will place his small squad under.
After the match against Everton, he celebrated his team's qualification for the competition but insisted his team and the fans should be keeping their feet on the ground.
"We're in football to have success and when success comes you have to embrace it and be proud of it," Hodgson added.
Common sense
"You need also to keep your wits about you because at the times when you seem to be flying that's the time when they're out to burn your wings to bring you back down to earth.
"So I hope we're not going to do that, I hope we're going to approach the fact that we're in Europe with good common sense.
"We're going to try and make our squad a bit stronger next year, a bit larger and then we'll see what we can do in Europe.
"I'm really hoping that we're not going suddenly be tipped as favourites to win the new Europa League and it will be a disaster if Fulham don't win it, because if that's the case we're really making a rod for our back and hope that's not going to be the case."
