The place are they now? The Fulham squad that reached the Europa League last in 2010
A bit of over a decade in the past, an English membership defied the percentages and produced a legendary run in a European Cup competitors. And no, it was not Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool within the Champions League.
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The crew we’re speaking about is the Fulham aspect 2009/10. Maneuvered by Roy Hodgson, the West London aspect (simply their penultimate season in European soccer) went on to beat Wolfsburg and Juventus to guide a last look towards Atlético Madrid in Hamburg.
And regardless that they suffered heartache after they misplaced 2-1 after beyond regular time to Los Rojiblancos, it was nonetheless a memorable alternative for the Cottages, with the recreation remaining as a spotlight for a aspect that has spent as a few years within the championship because the Premier League since.
11 years later, this is what Fulham’s Europa League last heroes got here up with after their barely credible run.
GK – Mark Schwarzer
Congratulations to back-to-back Premier League title winner Mark Schwarzer
– Tom Victor (@tomvictor) Could 2, 2016
After impressing the Cottagers throughout their European run, Arsenal unsuccessfully chased Mark Schwarzer the next summer time.
The Aussie continued to win back-to-back Premier League titles technically – first at Chelsea after which Leicester in 2015 and 2016 – however he was a backup at each golf equipment.
He retired in 2016 and is third on the Premier League listing of all time with 151 – behind solely David James and Petr Cech.
RB – Chris BairdDerby County vs. Rotherham United – Sky Guess Championship | Laurence Griffiths / Getty Photographs
The person Fulham followers known as ‘Bairdinho’, Chris Baird stayed on the membership till it was launched in 2013.
After spells at Studying and Burnley, he returned to the Premier League with West Brom earlier than leaving for Derby a season later.
He would return to Fulham for a quick mortgage spell, earlier than retiring in 2016, having performed over 300 senior video games at membership degree and 79 with Northern Eire.
CB – Aaron HughesHearts vs. Newcastle – Pleasant Season Earlier than The Season | Christian Cooksey / Getty Photographs
Aaron Hughes was a strong midfielder for the Cottagers and stayed at Craven Cottage till he moved to QPR in 2014.
After stints in Brighton, Melbourne Cit, Kerala Blasters and Hearts, he known as it a day in 2019, 39 years outdated.
Unbelievably, he performed 455 Premier League video games with out being despatched off – second solely to Ryan Giggs.
CB – Brede HangelandWatford vs. Crystal Palace – Premier League | Tony Marshall / Getty Photographs
A vital a part of Fulham’s protection in the course of the Hodgson years and the unlikely European run, Brede Hangeland (the good Norwegian who was truly born in Texas) revamped 200 appearances for the membership earlier than his launch in 2014.
He would be part of Crystal Palace afterwards and play there for 2 seasons earlier than retiring.
The large Norwegian additionally remembers as a result of he revealed that the previous boss Felix Magath instructed him to place cheese on his thigh to recuperate from his harm.
LB – Paul KoncheskyLiverpool vs. West Ham United – Premier League | Alex Livesey / Getty Photographs
The one participant Hodgson took with him from Fulham to Liverpool after his convicted transfer to turn into Anfield supervisor.
A dutiful servant to the cottagers, Konchesky seemed extraordinary from his depth at Liverpool who by no means took off Roy’s methods.
Konchesky left for Nottingham Forest on mortgage, then Leicester (completely) after simply 18 video games for the Reds.
After Claudio Ranieri took over the foxes, the left-back was loaned out to QPR – which thus lacked the miracle win in 2016 – and was final seen for East Thurrock United 2018/19 within the Nationwide League South.
RM – Damien DuffHibernian vs. Celtic – Quarter Ultimate in Scottish Cup | Mark Runnacles / Getty Photographs
Damien Duff continued to play recurrently for the West London membership after the 2010 season, earlier than being launched in 2014.
He spent a yr in Melbourne Metropolis within the A-League and performed with David Villa earlier than ending his enjoying profession at Shamrock Rovers in his native Eire.
The 42-year-old not too long ago left a training job with the Irish nationwide crew.
CM – Dickson EtuhuAIK towards Helsingborgs IF – Allsvenskan | Nils Petter Nilsson / Getty Photographs
The aspect’s defensive anchor Dickson Etuhu performed two extra seasons at Craven Cottage earlier than shifting to Blackburn Rovers in 2012. After enjoying 23 video games, he moved to AIK in Sweden.
Extra not too long ago, he obtained a five-year ban on match-fixing within the Scandinavian nation. It is truthful to say that the last was the spotlight of his profession …
CM – Danny Murphy
Danny Murphy actually solely mentioned on the BBC:
“Individuals neglect what a beautiful passerby is. He performs by balls as nicely as everybody else on the planet”
Only for all of your idiots who’ve forgotten
– Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) June 30, 2018
The Cottages captain on the time, Danny Murphy, continued to play a key function for Fulham earlier than shifting to Blackburn in 2012 after failing to prolong the membership.
The previous Liverpool star is now a daily knowledgeable on the BBC’s Match of the Day, the place his views haven’t at all times landed …
LM – Simon Davies Atletico Madrid vs. Fulham – UEFA Europa League Ultimate | Laurence Griffiths / Getty Photographs
The scorer for Hodgson’s aspect within the last, Simon Davies struggled with accidents in the course of the following campaigns for the Cottagers, which led to his launch in 2013.
He then went on to play beginner soccer in Pembrokeshire and now trains at League One aspect Peterborough.
CAM – Zoltán Gera
Zoltan Geras volley towards Portugal has been voted by followers as @carlsberg Aim of the Match? # EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/0cuUgv8DId
– UEFA EURO 2020 (@ EURO2020) 13 July 2016
Voted the followers’ season participant after the last, Zoltán Gera (who scored two objectives towards Juventus) fell out of favor beneath the brand new boss Mark Hughes and was later reunited with Hodgson at West Brom in 2011.
He spent three years there earlier than shifting again to his native Hungary to play for Ferencváros, the place he received the Hungarian league in 2016.
He nonetheless made some absolute screams, along with his objective towards Portugal awarded the match objective at Euro 2016.
ST – Bobby Zamora
Fabio Cannavaro has recovered from his traumatic expertise within the arms of Bobby Zamora within the Europa League to compete for #ITA #worldcup
– Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) June 14, 2010
After dominating the Italian nice Fabio Cannavaro earlier within the competitors, Bobby Zamora couldn’t rating for West London within the last.
The cult hero was tipped to the England World Cup squad throughout Fabio Capello in 2010 however lastly missed.
He spent one other season at Fulham earlier than shifting to rivals QPR, the place he helped them attain the Premier League and scored the one objective within the last of the Championship.
Pascal Zuberbühler (GK) – Didn’t play a single recreation for Fulham, and the Swiss worldwide was final seen in England as a Derby County goalkeeper between the years 2015-2017.
John Paintsil (RB) – Misplaced his place within the crew and performed playing cards for Leicester earlier than shifting to Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2012. Now works as a scout for the Ghanaian membership Wa All Stars.
Bjørn Helge Riise (CM) – The youthful brother of former Liverpool participant John Riise fell in favor of Hughes. After a mortgage spell at Sheffield United, he returned to Norway.
Clint Dempsey (ST) – Who as soon as nearly switched to the now-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, Dempsey can be fourth within the Soccer Author of the Yr award in 2011. He then moved to Spurs shortly earlier than returning to play for the Seattle Sounders within the MLS. He has additionally been away as a rapper beneath the identify ‘Duece’.
It is twelve years since Clint Dempsey joined Fulham.
Is Deuce the best American to play within the Premier League? Pic.twitter.com/azbcqiKQLI
– ?? Sure! Watch the Bundesliga live to tell the tale BT Sport ?? (@btsportfootball) January 11, 2020
Jonathan Greening (CM) – After making his mortgage deal everlasting after the last, Greening performed simply ten video games for Fulham earlier than shifting to Nottingham Forest and retiring in 2014.
Kagisho Dikgacoi (CM) – Kagisho Dikagcoi performed simply 14 video games for the West London membership and moved to Crystal Palace, the place he spent three years. A transfer to Cardiff Metropolis adopted earlier than ending his profession in South Africa.
Erik Nevland (ST) – Within the summer time of 2010, Nevland selected to return to Viking in his native Norway, the place he performed for 2 years earlier than retiring.
Roy HodgsonFBL-ENG-PR-CRYSTAL PALACE-NEWCASTLE | JUSTIN TALLIS / Getty Photographs
Everybody’s favourite soccer brother Roy Hodgson left Fulham after the last to take over Liverpool after Rafa Benitez’s exit. Within the process of getting the membership out of a interval of stagnation, he lasted solely half a season earlier than being fired for actually uninspiring soccer.
Nonetheless, he rebuilt his personal popularity in West Brom, which led to his appointment as England boss and positively a pair of arms forward of Euro 2012.
Whereas he guided the three lions to the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, the outcomes … have been not good.
Now at Crystal Palace, he’s the oldest supervisor to be employed within the Premier League however appears to be like set to go away Selhurst Park this summer time.