Fulham’s Europa League adventure back in 2010 is a great indication that star power is not the only tool that brings success in football.
Six years ago under Roy Hodgson, Fulham Football Club achieved the unthinkable. After a memorable run through the competition they somehow found themselves in the Europa League Final against the rising stars of Atletico Madrid. The stark contrast in the two line-ups was staggering, and it shows that you do not need to be a superstar to achieve glory in this game.
First off, six of the starting 11 were from Great Britain which just does not happen anymore. In fact, it did not really happen back then either. This really was a special team in so very many ways.
In goal you had Mark Schwarzer, a tenured goalkeeper who was finally getting onto the stage he deserved. People were recognising how underrated he had been for years, and it was a great moment for the Australian. How can you not be romantic about football?
Atletico Madrid players applaud the Fulham players as they are about to receive their losers medals
Then you read across the back four – Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Brede Hangeland and Paul Konchesky. To an outsider looking in that is a who’s who of run of the mill defenders, yet they were such a unit that their perceived lack of ability did not matter in comparison to the end product they provided.
The midfielders – Damien Duff, Dickson Etuhu, Danny Murphy and Simon Davies. The latter was actually the goalscorer and the previous three had been called either washed up or deemed to be not good enough to play at this level. Wrong.
Fulham players looking dejected at the end of the game
Finally, the forwards. Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora. Two men who have long since been considered Championship level forwards and nothing more, yet they were starting opposite Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan as strikers capable of playing in a major European final.
Fulham may not have won the game or the competition, but they won the hearts of the fans. Truly anything is possible in this game.
General View of Craven Cottage
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