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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson: I want to emulate Sir Bobby Robson
Cottagers boss hoping for Europa League triumph...
12 May 2010 08:00:00
By Adithya Ananth
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the late Sir Bobby Robson and become the first English manager to taste European success in the last 13 years.
The last time that an Englishman led a team to European silverware was when Robson won the Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona in 1997.
Coincidentally, the Cottagers' boss took Inter to the final of the UEFA Cup that same year, but had to return empty-handed as his side lost to Schalke on penalties.
Now, Hodgson is looking to do one better and defy the odds by beating Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final, at the HSH Nordbank Arena on Wednesday.
"To follow a manager like Bobby Robson would be fantastic because as you know, we were friends for many years," he told the press.
"He was a great man, a great manager and it would be very nice to think I could follow him."
It is now about 25 years since an English manager led an English club to success on the European stage, and Hodgson added: "The best English teams don't have English managers and the best foreign teams don't have English managers.
"Therefore, you're looking for an English manager to win a trophy with an unfancied team.
"If you're really serious about winning a title at this level, especially the Champions League, then you must make sure you're working for big clubs because it's not very often that teams like ours get to the final."
The west London club have had a difficult pathway to the final, beating current holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Serie A heavyweights Juventus, Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, and then overcoming Hamburg prior to the showdown on Wednesday.
"If we lose then I hope it means we've been beaten by a better team and not that we've been very unlucky or been hit by some decisions that are controversial," Hodgson continued. "At the moment we're planning not to be second best, we're planning to try and win the competition.
"Whatever happens it's been a very good season for us and we're determined to crown that season by winning the trophy."
The former Inter gaffer also maintained that the current dream run with Fulham shadows his achievement with the Italian club, who emerged second best in the 1997 UEFA Cup final.
However, the LMA Manager of the Year hopes to erase those painful memories by guiding his current side to victory in arguably their most important game in the history of the club.
"I was very proud to get to that final with Inter but I'm even prouder to be here with Fulham because we were much less fancied in the tournament than Inter were in 1997," he said.
"Secondly we've had a tougher passage to the final. When I think back to the teams Inter eliminated along the way, they weren't the big names that we've beaten here.
"I'm hoping the bad memories of 1997 will be expunged by a good victory."
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The last time that an Englishman led a team to European silverware was when Robson won the Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona in 1997.
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Coincidentally, the Cottagers' boss took Inter to the final of the UEFA Cup that same year, but had to return empty-handed as his side lost to Schalke on penalties.
Now, Hodgson is looking to do one better and defy the odds by beating Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final, at the HSH Nordbank Arena on Wednesday.
"To follow a manager like Bobby Robson would be fantastic because as you know, we were friends for many years," he told the press.
"He was a great man, a great manager and it would be very nice to think I could follow him."
It is now about 25 years since an English manager led an English club to success on the European stage, and Hodgson added: "The best English teams don't have English managers and the best foreign teams don't have English managers.
"Therefore, you're looking for an English manager to win a trophy with an unfancied team.
"If you're really serious about winning a title at this level, especially the Champions League, then you must make sure you're working for big clubs because it's not very often that teams like ours get to the final."
The west London club have had a difficult pathway to the final, beating current holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Serie A heavyweights Juventus, Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, and then overcoming Hamburg prior to the showdown on Wednesday.
"If we lose then I hope it means we've been beaten by a better team and not that we've been very unlucky or been hit by some decisions that are controversial," Hodgson continued. "At the moment we're planning not to be second best, we're planning to try and win the competition.
"Whatever happens it's been a very good season for us and we're determined to crown that season by winning the trophy."
The former Inter gaffer also maintained that the current dream run with Fulham shadows his achievement with the Italian club, who emerged second best in the 1997 UEFA Cup final.
However, the LMA Manager of the Year hopes to erase those painful memories by guiding his current side to victory in arguably their most important game in the history of the club.
"I was very proud to get to that final with Inter but I'm even prouder to be here with Fulham because we were much less fancied in the tournament than Inter were in 1997," he said.
"Secondly we've had a tougher passage to the final. When I think back to the teams Inter eliminated along the way, they weren't the big names that we've beaten here.
"I'm hoping the bad memories of 1997 will be expunged by a good victory."
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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