Hodgson urges UEFA to postpone final

(GSM) – Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has urged UEFA to consider postponing the Europa League final if the volcanic ash causes more travel chaos ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

The Cottagers, who fielded a much-changed side for the 4-0 defeat in their last Premier League game at Arsenal, have had to face an arduous journey to get to Germany for the first leg of their semi-final after European airspace was shutdown following eruptions in Iceland.

And it seems the latest burst of ash is now drifting across areas of France, Spain, northern Italy and Germany bringing more disruption as several airports – including Munich – have been closed.

With dim forecasts suggesting disruption of UK airspace again over the next few days, Fulham’s plan to fly out on Tuesday morning is close to abortion.

And Hodgson maintains if the situation worsens, then Europe’s footballing governing body must take a stance.

“We are worried, because they are always talking about changing wind direction, and having to play this game on Sunday does not give us too much alternative,” said the Fulham manager.

“It is all very well people saying change the flights, but we can only change that till tomorrow.

“We are talking about 40 people and a lot of kit – it is not like someone going on a package holiday, it is a major operation.

“We are training tomorrow morning, and I am not expecting to race around and try to contact the players now to say ‘You had better bring your bags for 9 o’clock tomorrow morning.’

“It could be very problematic and I only hope we have the luck to see the ash cloud disappear from the airspace between England and Germany.

“It is a very, very complicated matter and while our administrative team are working on it as best they can, to some extent we are going to be very much in the hands of the aviation authorities. What we can and can’t do will be decided by them, not us.”

With the ash closing Spanish airports, Atletico are likely to face similar problems.

Hodgson added: “If Madrid are also in that situation, UEFA should show some transigence, rather than the usual intransigence, and trying to find a solution which helps us both by postponing the game until we both can fly there.

“I do not think it is quite that simple to say ‘the game is Wednesday, you have to get there’, if Madrid are facing a 20-hour journey and we are facing a 30-hour journey, because I do not think this is what the finals are about – they are a great occasion.

“You would be placing the game with thousands and thousands of English and Spanish fans not able to go, which I would say is another reason for UEFA to reconsider.

“It would be harsh, especially on a team like ours who have had to do it once already.”