Hodgson wants Kamara to stay

Roy Hodgson declared Diomansy Kamara will remain at Fulham this season, after watching the Senegal striker secure a draw against CSKA Sofia.

Kamara struck the equaliser against the Bulgarian league leaders in last night’s Europa League fixture, picking up Erik Nevland’s pass and rounding goalkeeper Ivan Karadzhov before finding an empty net.

It was his first goal of the season, cancelling out Michel Platini’s opener and marking the end of an unsettled period that saw him linked with a move to Newcastle.

The Magpies expressed an interest in signing Kamara, only to be told by Hodgson that he still has a role to play at the club.

“Diomansy took the goal very well. We’ve see him do that so many times,” said the Cottagers boss.

“When he span away I was confident he would get behind the defence and compose himself. It still wasn’t an easy finish – it was on his left foot as well.

“It’s once of those goals where you think ’open goal, he should score’ – but I’ve seen many missed in my time.

“There’s no truth in the stories that he’s going to Newcastle.”

Hodgson explained the background to Kamara being linked with a move north.

“Just before the transfer window closed, Chris Hughton contacted me and asked if it was a possibility – and I said ’no’,” he reported.

“Three or four days later, someone else at Newcastle asked our board if there was a chance they could take him on loan.

“We said no – because we need him for the European games.”

Prioritising the Barclays Premier League, which resumes against Wolves on Sunday, Hodgson played his second string against CSKA.

The Fulham boss attracted criticism for resting big names such as Andy Johnson, Brede Hangeland and Danny Murphy but felt his decision had been vindicated by the outcome.

“The decision to pick the team we did was made with very careful thought and was backed up by the powers-that-be within the club,” he said.

“We made our mind up early on that if we are to do anything in this competition we’ll have to use as many players as UEFA allow us to.

“I think that now I can continue with this policy in the future.

“The team showed they deserved to be selected, because we played against a good CSKA side.”