Hodgson undaunted by his Premier past

Roy Hodgson reacts before a Euro 2008 qualifying football match against Portugal at the Dragao Stadium in Porto, November 2007. Hodgson, the new manager of Fulham, has insisted he had nothing to prove in English football after spending the bulk of his coaching career abroad.

Roy Hodgson, the new manager of Fulham, insisted Monday he had nothing to prove in English football after spending the bulk of his coaching career abroad.

The 60-year-old Englishman's only previous job in the Premier League ended with him leaving Blackburn by mutual consent with Rovers bottom of the table in November 1998.

But Hodgson, who has been given the job of trying to keep Fulham in the top flight following the sacking of Lawrie Sanchez, said he was relishing the challenge.

"Why should I need to prove myself more here than if I took a job in Germany or Russia or Greece. You always need to prove yourself."

Since leaving Blackburn, former Switzerland coach Hodsgon has been in charge of the likes of FC Copenhagen, Udinese, United Arab Emirates and, most recently, Finland.

"I'm fully prepared," he said.

"It may be 10 years since I worked in the Premier League but I haven't been working at a low level where there is no pressure. Quite the opposite."

Fulham are second bottom in the league after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham last weekend which their new manager watched.

Hodgson, whose first game in charge of Fulham will be Wednesday's west London derby at home to Chelsea, said he wanted to get to know his current squad before signing any new players during the January transfer window.

"The most important thing is to know the squad fully and not just see them playing from the stand. It's important to work hard with the players here to try to improve the situation," he said.

"Like anybody the transfer window is an important time of the year, and if the right type of players come along I know I have the support of the board to move into that market.

"But at the moment my focus is on Chelsea tomorrow."

Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed, who owns London's Harrods department store, has provided his previous managers at Craven Cottage with plenty of funds to bring in players, with Sanchez spending 20 million pounds on 13 players before the current season started.

But Hodgson said the issue of how much money he could spend next month had still to be decided.

"I've no idea," Hodgson said. "My discussion with the board was all about how we're going to improve the current situation and we didn't have any detailed discussions about transfers."

Fulham have won just twice in the league all season and Hodgson added: "It is a major challenge. But any Premier League job is a major challenge.

"At the moment our confidence is not at a high level because a string of results have not gone the club's way. If we can turn that around we might see a completely different team.

"I would like to avoid going out now and making wholesale changes and then finding out the ones we have brought in are no better."