Bullard's future vexes Hodgson

12 April 2012

Jimmy Bullard's future remains under the spotlight after the England international midfielder put Fulham on the way to a 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough.

Bullard set them on the way in the 41st minute, while a controversial second-half penalty from Danny Murphy and a third from Clint Dempsey completed a satisfactory afternoon for Fulham boss Roy Hodgson.

But Hodgson, who once again found himself having to field questions over Bullard's future, said: "I don't want players to leave this club."

He added: "If the moment arrives and a big offer comes in for one of our top players, I and the club will have to take a position on that.

"I don't want to lose him. I don't want to put a figure on the guy's head because I hope he is going to be playing for us for the rest of the season.

"I am happy with the way the team is playing. Jimmy is working very hard at his game. He is getting forward more and in good form and let's hope the situation resolves itself. But don't forget he has one and a half years left on his contract.

"I think Jimmy is doing a good job but a lot of players are doing a fantastic job in this team.

"Danny Murphy has done a remarkable job in his quiet way. Jimmy has done his bit and I am the first to recognise and thank him for it but it is wrong to make this a one-man club.

"That would be very demeaning of the other players and also it is quite strange that so much talk is going on about a player who has 18 months of his contract left to run, who missed a year's football through injury and who has been nursed back into this type of form by the club during the year when he couldn't play at all.

"I and the rest of the players can feel a bit aggrieved that all the talk seems to be revolving around one man and that doesn't seem correct."

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