UEFA should postpone Europa final – Hodgson

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson wants UEFA to postpone the Europa League final if the volcanic ash cloud causes more travel problems ahead of Wednesday’s showdown with Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

Hodgson’s side have already endured a gruelling 18-hour bus journey to get to Germany for the first leg of their semi-final against Hamburg last month after European airspace was shut down following eruptions in Iceland.

Now the ash cloud is drifting across areas of France, Spain, northern Italy and Germany, bringing more disruption and closing several airports.

Forecasts suggest the cloud could disrupt UK airspace again over the next few days and Hodgson is concerned that Fulham, who are set to fly out to Germany on Tuesday, could be caught in the chaos.

“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,” Hodgson said after his side’s 4-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.

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

“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 on Monday 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 nine o’clock.’

“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.”