Niemi backs Hodgson to save Fulham

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Fulham's new boss, who officially took over yesterday, won plaudits in his previous job as Finland manager for raising the national team's performances against bigger nations during their Euro 2008 qualifiers.

And the Finnish goalkeeper, persuaded out of international retirement during the campaign by Hodgson, said: "I was involved with the Finnish national team for 12 years and saw loads of managers come and go, but Roy took it to a different level.

"He's a good man manager, and very good at organising. We started to believe we could go to places like Poland and Portugal and get results.

"That was a huge thing for a nation like ours, and we almost qualified for a tournament finals for the first time ever."

Former Blackburn boss Hodgson witnessed the task that awaits him in pulling Fulham out of the Premier League's relegation zone with a watching brief during Saturday's 1-1 draw at St Andrew's.

Niemi added: "The club asked me about him, and I gave my thoughts. They were very positive, though the new manager is not going to bring in anything magical. We're in a tough situation and it's going to be a hell of a battle to get out of it.

"We just need a bit of steel back in the team, a bit of backbone because we look a bit shaky at times, and that will probably be the first thing he tries to fix."