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Bobby Zamora focus creating stellar performance

last updated Friday 09th April 2010, 11:07 AM
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora
Fulham striker
Bobby Zamora
 
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If focus is one of the key ingredients that go towards producing a successful footballer, then it is little wonder Bobby Zamora is enjoying a stellar season.

After his wonder winner, scored after just 23 seconds here, had steered Fulham through to the semi-finals of the Europa League at the expense of Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg, Zamora was asked if he might celebrate with a beer or two.

"You must be kidding," he said. "Not a chance. We've a difficult game up at Liverpool on Sunday."

How about his chances of a call into the England World Cup squad which must have been enhanced should Fabio Capello have noted the skill that conjured Zamora's 19th goal of the season, a Cruyff turn executed in breathtaking fashion?

"Honestly, I'm not looking anywhere near that far," Zamora said. "With so many fixtures left, there is no chance to think about that. It is a case of doing as well as I can for Fulham."

Zamora was content, instead, to let others canvas Capello on his behalf. The Fulham faithful who travelled to the soulless capital of the Volkswagen empire to take up station in one corner of Wolfsburg's Volkswagen Arena certainly made their feelings known about the matter.

"Ohhhhh, Bobby Zamorrrra," they sang in the immediate aftermath of that stunning start to a second-leg tie in which Fulham came defending a 2-1 lead.

Then, as their hero continued to work like a Trojan to harry and hustle Wolfsburg's fragile defence, Fulham's fans began to chant "Bobby for England! Bobby for England!"

Carlton Cole? Emile Heskey? Darren Bent? It would be interesting to hear a compelling argument as to why any of them would serve Capello better in South Africa than Zamora. And it had better be good if Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is to be convinced that his man should be left at home.

Hodgson said: "I'm sure when Fabio Capello is looking at the players available, he will make his assessment. I know Fabio is aware of Bobby as a player but Bobby can't do any more himself."

How about Hodgson for England? It is understood there are those at Craven Cottage who genuinely fear they will lose one of their best-ever managers to the national side when Capello eventually leaves his post.

The 62-year-old again demonstrated his tactical nous after losing influential American Clint Dempsey to a muscle strain before the team flew out to Germany.

Left-winger Simon Davies, somehow converted by Hodgson into a makeshift but able right-back for the first leg against Wolfsburg following injuries to John Pantsil and Stephen Kelly, was last night returned to the left flank while Chris Baird was selected to fill the hole left by Davies.

Baird was brilliant. But then so were the entire Fulham defence that held their line well under intense pressure and then responded magnificently when Wolfsburg did break through.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer pulled off a stunning diving save in the 73rd minute, touching Edin Dzeko's volley around a post. Then, 10 minutes later, Brede Hangeland cleared Grafite's shot off the line after another Dzeko effort had rebounded from the woodwork.

Zamora said: "It was a good, hard-working performance from everybody but the guys at the back were tremendous and Mark in goal was superb."

So was Hodgson. Certainly his supporters thought so, as they called over and over "Roy, Roy, Roy." Zamora revealed a debt of gratitude to the Fulham boss, who stood by him when the goals failed to go in last season. He said: "The biggest thing he did was sticking with me when many people were gunning for my head.

"He knew what I gave the team and what I did for the team. And that's exactly what he wanted." Zamora also paid credit to Zoltan Gera, who has made a success of playing just behind his team-mate.

It was Gera's pass that set up the only goal last night and Zamora said: "Gers is brilliant, he works so hard for the team.

"He's in and around their centre midfielders, hustling to help out Dickson Etuhu and Danny Murphy. He's a massive part of our game."

Just as Ruud van Nistelrooy was a big part of Manchester United and Real Madrid before the 33-year-old Dutchman pitched up at Hamburg SV, Fulham's semi-final rivals.

Zamora can hardly wait to test himself against one of his heroes. He said: "When Van Nistelrooy was at Man United, he was brilliant.

"What he did then was probably what I've tried to do this year, stay up there in and around the box, hold things up, set people up and get my shots off.

"He's probably the master of that sort of football, in and around the box, quick turns and runs. He is definitely someone I've looked up to. He's still as sharp as ever."

AS Roma, Basel, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg were also regarded as sharp opposition for Fulham. But they were all blunted by Hodgson's unlikely heroes.

As Wolfsburg's fans beat a retreat last night, the cavernous Volkswagen Arena continued to echo to Fulham refrains. To the tune of Yellow Submarine, the bank of white-shirted supporters sang "We're all going on a European tour, a European tour, a European tour".

Next stop is Hamburg for the first leg of the semi-final a week next Thursday.







































































Source David Smith at This is London
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