Source: Team_Talk
Hodgson hails Cottagers achievement
Roy Hodgson hailed an "outstanding achievement" by Fulham after they beat Hamburg 2-1 to set up a Europa League final against Atletico Madrid.[LNB] Simon Davies and Zoltan Gera struck in the second half after Mladen Petric's stunning free-kick had given the German club a 22nd minute lead at Craven Cottage.[LNB]Fulham now face the biggest match in their 131-year history when they return to Hamburg for the final on May 12 and Hodgson insisted they had earnt their success the hard way.[LNB]"This club has had some bad times and we've looked into the abyss once or twice," he said.[LNB]"Everyone is proud that we're about to start our 10th Premier League season.[LNB]"And to have reached a Europa League final - and I don't care if you're Fulham or one of the top four - is an outstanding achievement. That will be recognised by everyone.[LNB]"I can only enjoy the moment and make sure that the glory on the players is not deflected elsewhere.[LNB]"We're in the final because we've played very, very well throughout and knocked out some very difficult teams, not least Hamburg.[LNB]"It's been a wonderful journey that I'm really proud of. The team have produced better football than we're entitled to ask of them."[LNB]Hodgson hailed the character his side showed after staging a spirited second-half fightback in their 59th match of a campaign that started in July.[LNB]"It was a great performance because it would have been so easy for us to loose our heads after the great goal they scored," he said.[LNB]"I thought we were good value for our victory and the character of this team has been proved time and time again.[LNB]"Normally success softens you and makes you less determined but that hasn't been the case with this team throughout this season.[LNB]"It's been an amazingly long season yet watching the players run around in the second half it didn't look as though we'd played 59 games this season."[LNB]Hodgson hopes Bobby Zamora will be available for the final after Fulham's top scorer, who passed a late fitness test on his Achilles injury, limped off in the 58th minute.[LNB]"The injection we gave him worked quite well but he was beginning to feel the effects in the second half," he said.[LNB]"Now we have two weeks to get him fit for the final. The problem will exist until he gets more treatment on it.[LNB]"But if I rest him for one or two of the league matches perhaps he will be fit for the final."[LNB]Interim Hamburg coach Ricardo Moniz had no complaints with the result.[LNB]"We just didn't do what we needed. We needed to go forward more," he said.[LNB]"When we were 1-0 up I told the team to get the ball to the wingers but they couldn't.[LNB]"It's a sad evening for us. We lost the game and didn't do well enough and that's that."
