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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson full of pride despite Europa League final defeat
Boss refuses to criticise his players after final heartbreak...
12 May 2010 23:03:00
By Gill Clark
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admitted that he couldn't fault his players and was full of pride despite watching them lose 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final.
Diego Forlan was the hero for the La Liga outfit, scoring a brace, his second coming deep into extra-time after Simon Davies had equalised for the Cottagers.
Speaking to Channel 5 after the game, however, Hodgson praised his side and admitted he had thought the game was going to be decided on penalties.
“Their [Atletico Madrid] two front players were very good throughout the game,” he explained.
“We have to give them a lot of credit there but I thought we played well in the game, we gave them more than a good game.
"I thought we looked good value and it looked for all the world as if it was heading for penalties which is of course a bit of a lottery.”
However after a stunning campaign that saw Fulham knock out the likes of Hamburg and Juventus, Hodgson revealed he felt nothing but pride for his players.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the players for this season, for this performance tonight. I think this performance tonight, to some extent, summed up what we are at Fulham,” he added.
“All this season they have performed against the odds. They have been pulling out performances that no one could really expect them to pull out.
“We go a goal down today and yet still we find the capacity to fight back and then what’s more take the game into extra time and almost take it to penalties as well.
“Of course you can’t be happy after any sort of defeat, even if it comes in extra time but I don’t have any word of criticism for the teams. I thought the players were magnificent as usual and I think the fans will realise we did the best job we could possibly do.”
The Fulham boss also took time out to pay tribute to Diego Forlan, whose goal ultimately won the final for Atletico Madrid.
“It wasn’t to be, these are knock out games, they are decided by moments and ours was decided by the predatory instincts and the finishing powers of Diego Forlan,” said Hodgson.
“I thought we kept Forlan and [Sergio] Aguero pretty quiet considering how good these players are. We just didn’t keep them quiet for long enough.”
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Diego Forlan was the hero for the La Liga outfit, scoring a brace, his second coming deep into extra-time after Simon Davies had equalised for the Cottagers.
Speaking to Channel 5 after the game, however, Hodgson praised his side and admitted he had thought the game was going to be decided on penalties.
“Their [Atletico Madrid] two front players were very good throughout the game,” he explained.
“We have to give them a lot of credit there but I thought we played well in the game, we gave them more than a good game.
"I thought we looked good value and it looked for all the world as if it was heading for penalties which is of course a bit of a lottery.”
However after a stunning campaign that saw Fulham knock out the likes of Hamburg and Juventus, Hodgson revealed he felt nothing but pride for his players.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the players for this season, for this performance tonight. I think this performance tonight, to some extent, summed up what we are at Fulham,” he added.
“All this season they have performed against the odds. They have been pulling out performances that no one could really expect them to pull out.
“We go a goal down today and yet still we find the capacity to fight back and then what’s more take the game into extra time and almost take it to penalties as well.
“Of course you can’t be happy after any sort of defeat, even if it comes in extra time but I don’t have any word of criticism for the teams. I thought the players were magnificent as usual and I think the fans will realise we did the best job we could possibly do.”
The Fulham boss also took time out to pay tribute to Diego Forlan, whose goal ultimately won the final for Atletico Madrid.
“It wasn’t to be, these are knock out games, they are decided by moments and ours was decided by the predatory instincts and the finishing powers of Diego Forlan,” said Hodgson.
“I thought we kept Forlan and [Sergio] Aguero pretty quiet considering how good these players are. We just didn’t keep them quiet for long enough.”
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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 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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