The first of a two-part look at the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

After months of neglect, sparse coverage and seldom anonymity, the inaugural UEFA EUROPA League is almost over. Yes that’s the much longer dire sheer ridiculous re-branded European competition formerly known as the UEFA Cup which now involves extra qualifying rounds thus culminating in 17 games for the eventual Champions. Or better yet if you’re a team from one of the smaller European football nations a la Malta, Cyprus or Denmark, expect to wither through a further 6 matches. And if you manage to possess pints of luck on your side and reach the EUROPA League final, gently scribble a whopping plus 23 games to your already congested fixture list.

Yet despite the ambivalence shown by its governing body – UEFA – the EUROPA League tends to be rather fascinating, utterly unpredictable and more exciting than its unheralded championed counterpart the UEFA Champions League. While its glaring organizing faults cannot be ignored, the bastard step-child of the Champions League is a much more balanced competition that does its best to give a level playing field to clubs from smaller countries against their much bigger and wealthier neighbors.

Although clubs are seeded according co-efficient (determined by the results of a club in European club competition in the last five seasons, and the league coefficient amongst other things which you can wither your way through on UEFA’s website), the aforementioned co- efficient plays a slightly lesser role in the strength of the group stages. Therefore the champions of Belarus (BATE Borisov) are better suited to challenge with Athletic Bilbao (participants through La Liga’s Copa Del Rey) rather than be the whipping boys of the Champions League.

That said, the 2009-10 Europa League has been one to cherish from a footballing standpoint. The rise and rise of Fulham, uneasiness of Liverpool playing in the competition, Hamburg’s bug and the unexplainable involvement of Atletico Madrid in the last four are one of many tales of this season’s competition.

And as the first legs of the semi-finals approach, questions, speculation and more unanswered questions fill the air. Can Roy Hodgson and Bobby Zamora continue Fulham’s vacation at the cottage? Liverpool and the EUROPA CUP : A triumph for Benitez’ Kryptonite? Hamburg: the easiest ever road to a Cup Final? Atletico Madrid, how the “bleep” did they get here… and who’s responsible for it?

Hamburg vs Fulham

Hamburg

For the 5th straight season, there is at least one German participant in the UEFA / Europa Cup.

You can only beat what’s in front of you. Hamburg have definitely done that. The only Bundesliga team to never been relegated from top flight domestic football have led a spirited European campaign despite a lackluster domestic season. Last year’s UEFA Cup beaten semi-finalists courtesy of fellow German brethren Werder Bremen are poised to do one better than last season.

Should he stay or go? That’s one of the many rants that plague HSV this season as manager Bruno Labbadia is under more pressure than ever as the club’s fans call for his head following poor domestic results. Languishing sixth place in the Bundesliga with three games to go, a team characterized for its flair in attack pivoted by creative midfielders have shown glimpses of brilliance, only to disappoint in the final hurdle. Most of the blame has been levelled on the 44yr old  manager who is a victim of unfulfilled team potential amidst reports of he has lost the dressing room. Player vs fan rage via water bottle (here) and the granddaddy of them all – boos and cackles from the home crowd have left a bad taste in every-one’s mouth connected with the club.

Despite all these travesties, Hamburg are on the cusp of a Europa League final appearance which will be held on home ground, the HSH Nordbank Arena, on May 12th. The possibility of European glory on home soil and three points adrift of a European participation next season should  – in most cases – be a saving grace for a first year manager of Hamburg.

But truth be told, Hamburg have been exquisitely poor in Europe further exacerbated by the fact the team have had the easiest fixture list one could dream of. Spare a thought for PSV and Anderlecht who were unfortunate against a lackluster travelling HSV team bereft of cohesion, reliant on individual brilliance and the occasional stroke of luck doing just enough to hold on by the skin of its teeth. Quarter-finalists Standard Liege never bothered to turn up and were easily disposed by a rarity: non-jittery classy performance from Hamburg.

So what exactly is rotten at the club?

Let’s begin with the good. Hamburg are blessed with a potent strike force that is the envy of their Bundesliga counterparts. Marcus Berg, the slightly overrated but decent Paolo Guerrero, the very underrated yet excellent Mladen Petric, budding youngster Eljaro Elia and Ruud Van Nistelrooy who joined in January from Real Madrid. Veteran David Jarolim anchors the midfield with Trochowski and Ze Reborto pulling the strings in the middle of the park. Apart from Bayern Munich, self-appointed Kings of German football, Hamburg are undoubtedly the best of the rest. Yet there in lies the problem and solution.

HSV are not a bad team, far from it. They just tend to play badly. Consequently, fans see the team’s underachievement as a product of manager Bruno Labbadia’s lack of tactical nous. Most fans and opposition managers have figured the jigsaw puzzle: Hamburg have no plan B nor even a plan A. They just make it up as they play.

Hamburg welcome giant-killers English side Fulham this Thursday who knocked off last year’s Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg. Could this spell the end for the manager  and the end of the road for Hamburg? The feeling in Germany is that  a better organized side led by a quite suited tactical manager in the mold of Roy Hodgson will the be nail in the coffin for Labbadia.

No matter what happens in the coming weeks, the board will certainly be looking for a new manager once the season is over. I reckon a Europa League trophy won’t do any wonders for Bruno Labbadia’s situation as head coach.

Honestly, i’m not sure what to make of Hamburg. I don’t think anyone does.

Fulham

Oh Uncle Roy, please be my granddad?

Away with paternal sentiments, Roy Hodgson deserves all the praise. He has led Fulham, the Barcelona “B” of West London, to an unprecedented semi-final appearance in the Europa League. The Cottagers are akin to your cousins – the ones who have overstayed their welcome, yet you’re genuinely sad when they’re gone.

Fulham are not just a club. They’re a small cub with a storied history without a trophy (Intertoto Cups don’t count). But that can all change. Fulham can relinquish its status as extras in a radio commercial to a starring role in a T.V. prime slot mini series.

Craving Craven: The Comings of the Cottagers. A three episode featuring the allure of Raving Roy, Bravery Bobby, Hangar Hangeland, Morphing Murphy and Clint. That’s Clint Dempsey not Clint Eastwood, but they’re both Americans so we’ll let it slide.

Whisked away from frigid Finland where he held the position of national team coach, Hodgson was appointed manager at struggling relegation bound Fulham in December of 2007. After a dodgy first set of results, he miraculously lifted the team from shores of demise to secure another season of top flight domestic football.

“This is a fairy tale season. last year, we barely avoided relegation and here we are now competing in the Europa League. I’ve never felt much better”. Those were the general sentiments of Fulham fans following their best ever domestic season as the team finished in 7th place during the 2008-09 EPL season which saw the club secure European football.

Nevertheless, the writing was all but on the wall. The Europa Leauge would be an un-welcomed distraction to a very thin squad fighting to keep its head above water to consolidate its mid-table position in its domestic league.

He’s tricked us, he’s called our bluff. No man is an island, there is no I in team. But there is song in Hodgson and the Englishman has hit all the right notes for Fulham in its astonishing European run.

Shaktar Donestk, defending UEFA Cup champions. Check! Wolfsburg, defending Bundesliga champions. Check! Check!!. And there was Juventus. Checkmate!!! Fulham vs Juventus at the Craven Cottage has a shout for one of the most memorable upsets in European cup history.

One team had 27 league titles, 11 domestic cup titles, 2 champions league trophies, 3 UEFA cups, 2 European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cup titles. The other didn’t even have a trophy cabinet.

If overcoming Shaktar was a hard task for Fulham, the last 16 tie against the Turin giants was surely a mountain too high. No matter what one thinks about derailing train that is Juventus, the infamous Calciopoli scandal and Italian football for that matter, Juventus 3-1 first leg win should have been enough to end Fulham’s European sail boat.

A spirited performance. A shock result. Or my personal favorite David vs Goliath. It would be unfair to summarize the tie with phrases such as those. It was a game of master vs apprentice as Roy Hodgson outclassed his Italian opposite. Roy Hodgson was the piano teacher, Zaccheroni was his student. For every wrong key the student (Zaccheroni) played, his teacher (Hodgson) punished with a master stroke. And the teacher showed no mercy.

4-1 it finished as Fulham progressed. The sky is surely the limit. Fulham has etched its names as this season’s Cinderella story. A professional job in the quarter-final against Wolfsburg has placed the English club mere steps away from its first European final.

Target man Bobby Zamora has silenced some of his critics with bouts of memorable displays all season long. Captain and creative emblem Danny Murphy is the engine of this side. Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey have put in their fair share of assists while Damien Duff looks a rejuvenated player following his horrid time at Newcastle.

Can Fulham do it? Only a fool would bet against Roy Hodgson.

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