The Weekend Hero #3 - Roy Hodgson

Roy Hodgson is clearly a true football man. I get the impression that if he wasn't managing a team - currently Fulham FC in the English Premier League - he'd be quietly queuing at a stadium somewhere to buy matchday tickets. His love for the game is there for everyone to see and, finally, it seems the game is showing its appreciation - it's respect - for Roy Hodgson.

Over 7 days last week - culminating with yesterdays match at Manchester City - his team were committed to playing three matches. It doesn't sound much to those of us that work 'regular' jobs but in football this is quite unusual. Last Monday evening Fulham took on Hull City in a Premier League fixture at their Craven Cottage home stadium. Three days later they played host to the Italian giants AS Roma in the Europa League and then yesterday afternoon travelled to Manchester to contest another Premier League fixture.

Not an ideal schedule for a team with quite possibly the smallest first team squad in the English Premier League. Paying due respect to each opponent Mr Hodgson fielded a full strength side in each of the three fixtures - there was no sign of the sadly now common practice amongst other Premier League managers of fielding a weakened side for the Europa League game.

Not once did I hear Mr Hodgson or any of his staff complain about the schedule, they simply got on with the job in hand. I can only imagine the fuss - from manager and media alike - had one of the 'big 4' been faced with a similar run of fixtures with such limited, in terms of numbers, resources.

Mr Hodgson and his Fulham team were well rewarded for their hard work - four points out of six in the league, including a fine 2-2 draw yesterday at Manchester City having been two goals to nil down, and a well deserved draw against AS Roma.

This physically demanding schedule went almost unnoticed by the media, but not by The Savage Rabbit: Roy Hodgson - The Weekend Hero #3.