To some, there’s nothing more condescending than when their team are described as plucky, punching above there weight or a battling side. Each of the terms generally means the same thing when used towards a football club. You’ve punched above your weight and sooner rather than later, you’re going to get brought down to earth. Fulham have got used to running the whole gambit of these cliche ridden back handed complements this season during their run to the Europa League Final.

Over the last couple of days, I’ve seen a few articles around stating it’s the biggest game in Fulham’s history. Sorry to deflate the collective bubbles, but that simply isn’t true at all. It’s possibly the craziest day in an average Fulham fans lifetime but it’s not even close to biggest match in the clubs history. I doubt even the most ardent Cottage regular would have even considered getting to the final when you look at the teams they were up against. It’s a brilliant day and they will want to win it, but I’ll look at the clubs biggest game in the modern era further down.

Of course, I will be rooting for Fulham on Wednesday night in the final as if it’s my own team. I like Fulham, I like the way they play the game, I like Roy Hodgson, so I naturally want the best for them. I’d love it if they won the game, but do not underestimate Athletico Madrid. Despite the fact that they are clearly the most disaster prone side in European football and have somehow got to the game by only winning 2 matches, they still have some quality in the team.

If any team can implode and throw any situation away, then Athletico are the team to put your money on. For example, they won the Spanish double in 1996 with Raddy Antic as manager and then four years later they dropped out of the Primera League. Their greatest era as a club coincided with Real Madrid being the greatest club side in the world for about 15 years. The fans burnt the club shop down in 2005 when the new Nike kit was discovered to have scrapped the red and white stripes. This is a club that make Tottenham look the model of consistency.

Despite all that, Fulham stand on the threshold of an amazing achievement. Don’t patronise them by assuming by being in the final being good enough. Hodgson and his players will want to win the trophy. By falling at the final fence, everything will have been in vain. All the sweat, the comebacks, the fighting spirit will have come to nothing if they fail to come home without that trophy. Being there doesn’t count unless you win the damn thing. Ask the Middlesbrough faithful.

Now, as for the biggest game in Fulhams modern history, the day they played Torquay United in a battle between the two lowest placed league sides in 1996 has to be up there. Only 14 years ago, Fulham faced relegation out of the league and financial implosion. Crowds were little better than 4,000 a game and they had less than a 1,000 season ticket holders. They lost the match and faced ruin and that was just 14 years ago. The same season, Hodgson was leading Inter Milan to a 7th place finish in Serie A and Fulham managed to survive by bringing Mickey Adams in as manager.

That’s how far this club has come in such a short time and for all the hype and posturing, the Fulham fans will always look back to the day they were facing oblivion in the face. Football is indeed a funny old game, but for Fulham and Roy Hodgson, only a win at the HSH Nordbank Arena will suffice in bringing a smile to their faces.

Sergio Aguero is one of the many high-profile transfer prospects on the market this summer

The World Cup will dominate the world’s football focus this summer but that doesn’t mean the usual wheeling and dealing of the transfer market won’t be in full force. Last summer saw the high profile departure of Christiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Emmanuel Adebayor trading in the red of Arsenal for the blue of Manchester City. At this point in the season transfer rumors come thick and fast with many “stories” turning out to be little more than speculation. Here’s a roundup of some of the rumors for some of the biggest stars in the world and where they may end up within the Premier League.

A quick disclaimer, some of these rumors are a little old or slightly ludicrous but the main point of this post is to generate discussion.

Franck Ribéry: The Bayern Munich midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga for years now so these rumors are nothing new. This time Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid are interested in the Frenchman. Ribéry, who is currently dealing with a public relations crisis due to being asked to testify in relation to a Paris prostitution ring, has promised to make a decision on his future by April 24. Chelsea seems to be the least likely of the three clubs for Ribéry to end up in and can the Blues really handle another player enveloped in a sex scandal?

Gianluigi Buffon: The Juventus keeper’s possible departure has been in the news for a few weeks now but his likely destination appears to be Manchester. There was a post yesterday discussing where the best fit for Buffon would be so I won’t rehash old material but Buffon in the EPL is an interesting proposition indeed.

Cesc Fabregas: The Arsenal captain is sidelined for the rest of the season following his Champion’s League clash with Barcelona at the Emirates back in March. Rumors have been swirling ever since that game about Fabregas’ possible return to Barcelona, his boyhood club. Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood told ESPN Soccernet last week that Barcelona made assurances they would not try to sign the Spanish striker during the summer but Barcelona claims they made no such assurances. Over the past few days Real Madrid, who are always looking to compete with Barcelona over big-name talent, have rumored to be interested in Fabregas as well.

Sergio Aguero: The Athletico Madrid striker has expressed interest in a move to Chelsea during the off-season. No reports have confirmed that Chelsea has recipricated interest in Aguero but the Argentine has been a hotly sought after commodity for the past few seasons so one must think there is some interest at Stamford Bridge.

Joe Cole: The Chelsea/England midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester City for  a four-year, £40 million contract, making him the highest payed player in the Premiership.  Manchester United has also shown interest but if City’s offer is as high as reported United will stand no shot in a bidding war.

Landon Donovan: The American forward has impressed the English public with an impressive loan stint at Everton over the winter. The Toffees attempted to extend his loan deal to the end of the season by Donovan was recalled by the L.A. Galaxy. Rumors swirled back in March about the possibility of Chelsea making a £10 million offer but that relies heavily on the future of Joe Cole.

Craig Bellamy: Never one to mince words, whether it be about John Terry or his views on his colleagues, the Manchester City forward may not be with the club next season due to reported clashes with Roberto Mancini. No word yet on his possible destination but The Independent is reporting City is having difficulty convincing Bellamy to stay.

Kevin Doyle: This is slightly less glamorous than some of the other rumors but Everton is reportedly interested in the young striker from Wolves. It will probably take a bid of £10 million or more by the Toffees to lure to Irish International.

There will always be the rush for some the higher-payed players for the relegated sides. Players such as Jimmy Bullard, Jozy Altidore, Steven Fletcher and David James may become available during the off-season. There are also clubs in desperate need of improvement, like a goalkeeper for Arsenal, a second striker for Manchester United and every position for Liverpool. There will be plenty of twists and turns once the EPL season wraps up next month. So have fun in the comments section discussing where you think these players should go, rumors I have may have missed or who your favorite club should be pursuing.

So it’s all off then, Kaka has shunned the millions on offer to switch the San Siro for Eastlands, turned his back on an alleged £500,000 a week ( A measly take home salary of £260,000 per week after tax) and declared his love for AC Milan. Am I surprised? A little bit, but it’s certainly reaffirmed a bit of faith for me in footballers when someone can turn down astronomical wages to stay where they are. I thought that even a deeply religious man as Kaka is, would have his head turned by Manchester City’s overtures toward him but it was not to be. Manchester City are now beginning to realise the scale of the task ahead of them to attract anyone of any real quality to join them. Sure Wayne Bridge is an accomplished player, but one of the best 10 left backs in the world? No. Is Craig Bellamy, 29 years old and on his 8th club already,  a man who could start an argument in a graveyard, one of the top 50 strikers in the world today? No he’s not. If Nigel De Jong was as good as they think he is, he wouldn’t be with SV Hamburg. Apologies to Hamburg fans and your fantastic manager.

It finally proves that to some players money isn’t everything. Whilst I appreciate the fact he’s on a fair whack at Milano, around £150,000 a week, Kaka realises the scale of the job ahead of Manchester City’s owners to attract anyone to join them at Eastlands. Are they going to play European football next season? It looks a major long shot at this point with only two routes open to them, winning the UEFA Cup or applying to join through the Intertoto Cup and at the moment both look well out of City’s reach. We are now beginning to see the calibre of players who will go to City and the ones who will not, Robinho, Bellamy, Bridge, Jo. It’s long way from Kaka, Messi, Aguero and Ribery. The owners will be stunned I suspect that for some people money is not everything, to build the highest building in the world, only for the people to declare how ugly it is.

I think the owners bought the club and assumed that money would bring everyone there. They’re now beginning to realise it’s not the case. City, traditionally one of Britain’s best supported clubs, are not a European household name, haven’t won a trophy in 40 years and were in the third tier of English football as recently as 1999. They cannot offer a history of success, as Manchester United, Liverpool and even Arsenal and Chelsea in recent years can do. When you bring European sides into the mix, the lure of the lush warmer climes of Spain and Italy, history and passion go against them as well. If they can’t match sides in England, what about Barcelona, Internazionale, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, even Lyon. Nationallocation goes against them too as their two successful near neighbours can offer Champions League football, well balanced squads and and a winning ethic. Big players want the chance to win big trophies and Manchester City simply cannot do that, instead of trying to build a Mancunian Barcelona, they should look back in recent history and use Blackburn’s template to try and get to the top in England first. Then perhaps they can look to higher quality signings once they become a top 6 side.

Unfortunately, it seems that to compound the issues with Kaka, Robinho has walked out of the Manchester City training camp in Tenerife, apparently due to a disagreement over being allowed to have his birthday in Brazil. City have not given a reason for him leaving the camp as yet and one of the local English speaking Tenerife Radio station, Oasis FM (now that is ironic) are currently running a “Have you seen Robinho” phone in competition this morning. For Manchester City fans, they hope someone spots him soon.