Hodgson happy with squad

Fulham boss pleased with reduced numbers

Last updated: 5th September 2008

Roy Hodgson Fulham v Celtic

Hodgson: Balanced squad

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Roy Hodgson has set his sights on a successful campaign after reducing the size of his Fulham squad.

When Hodgson replaced Lawrie Sanchez as Fulham manager at the turn of the year he found more than 30 senior players on the staff.

Some were allowed to leave almost immediately and several others moved on over the summer, leaving Hodgson much happier with his options.

Despite bringing in several new players over the summer, Hodgson now feels that Fulham's youngsters will benefit from having a realistic chance to break into the team.

He said: "I think what I'm most happy about is that we've changed the squad around and we've got a small squad now, a squad that we really believe in and is well-balanced.

"When I came in January we really had far too many players and lots of them just trebling or quadrupling up for positions, never getting a game and obviously costing the club a lot of money, but not playing any football.

"Whereas now, with a squad of only 23 players, of which three are goalkeepers, it will give the younger players, like (Robert) Milsom and (Wayne) Brown, a chance to push forward and show what they can do in the first-team squad.

"It will give the players on the fringes a greater chance of playing, and although the squad is at the limit in terms of size, at least it's full of the right type of players that we want to be at the club and not just players that one has inherited and that are here really by default rather than anything else."