Fulham’s amazing transformation under Roy Hodgson just keeps reaching new heights and sending their fans in to raptures. I know I’ve written about Roy Hodgson and the fact that the British press have virtually ignored his career until he took over at Fulham, but no-one could have expected this level of improvement from the Cottagers.

2 years ago they were all but relegated from the Premiership and when they went 2-0 down in a league game against Manchester City, they were technically down. Amazingly though they recovered and won that game 3-2, going on a run that saw them survive on the last day of the season. Now here we are in April 2010 and they have a Europa Cup Final to look forward to in 13 days time.

I’ve been sick and tired of people doing the Europa League down, for Fulham and their fans it is a monumental achievement and they deserve to celebrate long in to the night. The achievements of Roy Hodgson can no longer be ignored by the British media who will no doubt be jumping on the bandwagon as we speak, propelling the Fulham manager to demi-god status. They’re about 10 years behind but they’ll never let on just how much they’ve underestimated the like-able Londoner.

As much as Fulham’s European success has been a revelation for the club, it has cemented the managerial abilities of Hodgson. He has taken London’s smallest Premier League club to their first ever continental final and achieved something that some more celebrated English managers have not achieved. I’m truly delighted for them, for him and the Fulham fans.

After the game, Hodgson said “After going a goal down against the run of play I think we made a major piece of history here tonight in a very special atmosphere. We have beaten a very good team and I’m drained after the emotional roller-coaster. I think lots of teams would have lost their discipline and shape, but we stayed strong.”

They’ve seen off more famous and illustrious opponents throughout this cup run and just when you thought they’d come a cropper, they found hidden reserves of mental strength and fortitude to fight back in every knock out tie. Shaktar Donetsk, Roma, Juventus, Wolfsburg and now Hamburg have fallen when all common sense told you that Fulham couldn’t or wouldn’t beat them. They did and with such lovely football too.

Of course, they’ll now face Athletico Madrid who have put Liverpool out tonight, which I’m delighted with. Not disrespecting Liverpool, but now all the build up in the UK will focus on Fulham, which is what they deserve. If Liverpool had made it, we would have had constant coverage of Benitez’s miserable and moronic press conferences which I’ve seen more than I deserve to over the last 5 years. Now Fulham and their fans can bask in the next two weeks as the excitement builds towards Hamburg.

They must be in shock, stunned as they’ve seen the transformation of their team in such a short space of time. Enjoy it Fulham fans and I truly, really want you to win the cup. Congratulations to all of you. Now get drunk!

Why is it so hard to have a governing body with an ounce of common sense, UEFA just seem bereft of it every time it seems like they’ll do the right thing. Are your matches blighted by neo-nazi’s forming swastika shapes on the terrace? Here, have a fine of $3 and don’t do it again. Do your fans steal a visiting fans scooter, carry it into the ground, set it on fire and throw it on the pitch during a game? Never happened. English based player sent off for a foul he didn’t commit? The Red card stands!

Darren Fletcher’s red card, alongside Eric Abidals, was a travesty. The referee got it wrong, it was obviously a mistake so United must have been hoping that UEFA’s appeal’s panel would realise that the ludicrous and frankly absurd rule that you can’t appeal a red card unless it’s mistaken identity and it would see the opportunity for them to hold their hands up, say the referee got it wrong, and rescind it.

Of course they didn’t. Now I’m not buying into the conspiracy theories that are currently doing the rounds in the British press, though UEFA’s contempt for the Premiership is hard to ignore currently due Platini’s consistent anti-Premiership rhetoric, but honestly, they make you want to pull your hair out. Fletcher’s challenge was a wonderfully timed last ditch tackle that saved a goalscoring opportunity, or so he thought. Unfortunately referee Rosetti deemed it a foul and that’s the end of it.

To be blunt, it shows that the idiots in power at the top of UEFA have now entrenched so far into their bunkers that they can no longer see common sense. What is so wrong with doing the right thing? It’s the same for the Abidal sending off, an incorrect decision that all the world can see in the cold light of day but they will not budge on the matter. An incorrect decision, regardless of televisual evidence stands, cast in stone.  A chance for UEFA to finally offer those who criticise the bloated, out of touch and idiotic board an opportunity to say well done UEFA, a common sense victory for football.

Yet, they once again sail off into the sunset, the winds of ignorance speeding them onward to the next calamity. How can these decisions support the referee’s who have to make these decisions, no-one is infallible, no-one is beyond making a mistake. By digging themselves into such a position, they make themselves ripe for ridicule, with the next calamitous decision just around the corner. Like holding the Champions League final at a ground with a history of violence from both the fans and the police in a country racked with hooliganism at every match.

I’ve been to the Stadio Olympico twice, both times were eye opening experiences for me as a fan. Both times left me very nervous about my well being in and around the stadium and they were for a Serie A game. Would I go there as an opposing fan? Not on your life!Hopefully, the British police will be there in large numbers to keep an eye out for rogue groups of Roma fans with their speciality of sticking a pen knife in you as you walk past them. And again, and again and so it continues.

It’s so disappointing to have an official body that won’t do the right thing whenever they seem to given a perfect opportunity time and again. It’s a real shame that Fletcher and Abidal will both miss the biggest games of their careers so far due to stubbornness beyond all reason.

Liverpool and Arsenal had an Oscar and Felix feel.  Both clubs are each other’s bogey teams.  Arsenal’s Frenchified fancy dans cannot break down disciplined defenses and remain prone to adept counterattack.  Lump and pray Liverpool struggle when forced to play chess on the ground rather than checkers in the air.  The clash can create soccer nirvana or reaming vulgarity.  This 1-1 draw had a bit of both.

If a side should feel aggrieved, it is Arsenal.  They dictated the second half, only to shoot blanks.  The Carragher rules apply to Dirk Kuyt, who pulled Hleb down in the penalty area without reprimand.  Kuyt also picked this one match to maraud around the pitch like a crazed baboon, rather than remain oblivious.  The match could hinge on the Pool’s away goal.

Apparently, Avram Grant rowing down the straits on his sinister raft of skulls failed to shock the obstinate Turks, as Fenerbahce beat Chelsea 2-1.  The Dark Lord has vowed “not to rest” until the rematch next Tuesday, because he looked like he was sleeping well before.  The match is more tabloid fodder than demonstrative, however.  Expect Chelsea to close them out 1-0 next week at Stamford Bridge.

Roma tumbled without their talisman Francesco Totti, beaten 2-0 by Manchester United.  The two teams play a similar style, but United is the seven diamond version.  Isn’t Rooney overdue for his bi-monthly metatarsal injury

A message posted in the Liverpool FC forum on the Liverpool Echo’s website has sparked speculation about a fixing of Friday’s Champions League draw in Nyon.

The post, received at 10:28 AM (90 min prior to the draw) read as follows.

“RUMOUR going around the draw has been leaked . . . this is no doubt rubbish but if the rumour is true it’s LFC – Arsenal, Chelsea – Fenerbahce and Manchester United vs Roma.

No bookies will take bets on the draw either.

Let the draw commence. Come on!”

The poster claims the he received the advance result from two friends within betting circles.  He was then “frustrated” when he was not allowed to bet on the outcome.

Bookkeepers told the Liverpool Echo that it was common practice not to accept bets on the Champions League draw itself.

UEFA asserts that draw was conducted with “150% honesty.”

The odds of choosing the correct draw at random would have been 104-1.