Martin Jol takes a swipe at Europa League critics

Don't look back in anger: Bobby Zamora trudges past the Europa League trophy after Fulham are beaten in the 2010 final
David Smith11 April 2012

Fulham boss Martin Jol insists his side have nothing to fear from the addition of Manchester United and Manchester City to the Europa League.

Fulham will join their Premier League rivals in the last 32 if they beat Danish side Odense BK in their final Group K game at Craven Cottage next Wednesday - although they can't meet any of the English clubs until the following round.

But Jol has dismissed the suggestion that a testing journey through qualifying, the group section and the first phase of knockout football - embracing a total of 16 games - would have been in vain were Fulham to come up against two sides smarting from their humiliating failure to progress in the Champions League.

Ahead of tomorrow's Premier League clash at Swansea, Jol said: "You could ask the same of teams in the Champions League - what is the point of playing in it if you know that Barcelona will win the title, anyway?

"It is the same in all competitions. There are always only four or five clubs who could probably end up winning. But there is always a chance for outsiders, like we are, to do something."

Fulham did just that two seasons ago, when Roy Hodgson's heroes beat Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Hamburg on the way to the Europa League final where they lost to Atletico Madrid.

Along with the two Manchester clubs, those entering the last 32 of this season's competition include Ajax, Valencia and Porto. Their presence tends to make a mockery of the claim by French defender Patrice Evra that it is "embarrassing" for United to be competing in the Europa League.

Jol said: "I can understand that sort of disappointment, if you are a favourite to win the Champions League and then drop out to be in the Europa League.

"The Premier League is the priority but we are happy to play in the Europa League. My principle is that we want to do our best in Europe."

UEFA president Michel Platini was also unhappy with the criticism labelled at the competition by Sir Alex Ferguson and said: "I like England a lot, its football is fantastic, its supporters are wonderful. But you shouldn't criticise the Europa League just because you've played in three Champions League finals."

Europa League rules bar Champions League failures facing opposition from the same national association in the round of 32, so Fulham could not play United or City until the round of 16.

Having feared that an ankle injury picked up in Monday's win over Liverpool would sideline Danny Murphy for several weeks, the Fulham skipper could face Odense, or even Swansea, if he passes a fitness test later today.

Simon Davies, who has yet to feature this season after starting a Europa League qualifier in June before succumbing to a knee injury, is set for a comeback to Jol's squad but Damien Duff and Chris Baird are out and Steve Sidwell is a doubt.

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