Internationals irk Hodgson

Fulham boss disappointed with lack of time to prepare for Derby

Last updated: 27th March 2008

Roy Hodgson Fulham manager

Hodgson: Wanted more time

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Roy Hodgson is unhappy at the amount of playing time Fulham's international players were given in midweek.

The Premier League strugglers had 15 members of the squad away on international duty, with many playing 90 minutes for their country.

With Fulham facing bottom club Derby County on Saturday, Hodgson is disappointed with the lack of preparation for the trip to Pride Park.

"We are a little unhappy that 13 out of the 15 players that went away have played 90 minutes and some other clubs seem to have got away with their players being substitutes at half-time," said Hodgson.

No guarantees

"Six or seven of those players are not back in time for this afternoon's training session. So our preparations for this week's game are the worst they have been since I came to the club because we will only have Friday morning to work with the team before we travel to Derby.

"We contacted them all and the news is good there. There is no-one seriously injured, but I can't guarantee that there aren't players coming back with knocks.

"David Healy has come back with a knock, which hopefully will see him okay to train tomorrow. That could be the case with one or two of the others."

Hodgson is aware of the importance of beating Derby at the weekend, with Fulham currently four points adrift of safety.

Keep believing

He added: "Victory is the result we want. They are the bottom club and a few points behind us. But we are both in a very difficult situation.

"Both are showing we are not that easy to beat, but if we want to get rid of this away record we have, then it has got to be done on the field of play.

"We need a lot more points. We need to take points from the teams around us. The message to the players has never changed.

"It has always been the same, until we are mathematically out of the race we are very much in it.

"A lot can happen in football and it is so important to keep believing that your ability will get you out of the situation you are in."