Fulham boss Roy Hodgson revealed he would probably celebrate by watching Match
of the Day on television rather than go to a party after Danny Murphy's goal
ensured an amazing escape from relegation.
Hodgson stood still on the touchline as Murphy's decisive header flew in and
appeared to keep calm all the way through to the final whistle which marked
Fulham's fourth win in the last five games and survival on goal difference.
The 60-year-old said: 'It's not really an occasion for celebration although
I'm delighted for everybody at the club.
'You used to have a glass of wine and smoke a cigar - before my wife stopped
me smoking, that is - but that was also sometimes the case when you had lost as
well.
'I think there might be a party planned but I think I might just stay in and
watch Match of the Day.
'We are delighted with what we've done in the last few weeks even though we
left it late and left ourselves a mountain to climb.
'But I am always aware that when we win somebody else has lost and I feel
genuine sympathy for lads like Alex McLeish and Steve Coppell who have gone down
with their clubs despite both also winning today.
'Some people will say we've been lucky but I just felt there might be
something going for us if we needed it enough.
'We were always aware that only a win would suffice and I felt if we could
stay in the game and not go behind to a very strong Portsmouth team there might
be something for us in the last 15 to 20 minutes.
'Danny's header proved that correct and although I might have looked calm
after he scored I can tell you that was not the case.
'I thought the last few minutes lasted half an hour and wouldn't want to go
through that too many times.'
Hodgson joked: 'If you think I looked calm then I can only think it was the
valium. I wanted the referee to blow the final whistle as soon as Danny had
scored.
'Do we deserve to stay up? I think we do. I said from the day I arrived in
December that we could do it - although in those circumstances you say a million
things like that.'
Hodgson's record at Fulham since replacing Lawrie Sanchez in December is six
wins, five draws and nine defeats but the former manager of Inter Milan,
Blackburn, Finland and Switzerland said: 'If you want to call it my finest
achievement I won't argue with that because that's what you will call it any
way.'
Goal hero Murphy said: 'It's not really sunk in yet that we've survived and
it probably won't until we report back for pre-season.
'But it's a special feeling to score a goal as important as that and I'm
chuffed for everybody at the club.
'We've turned it right round in the last few weeks and I think we deserved it
today, even though we didn't play particularly well.'
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp congratulated Hodgson and said: 'I think
he's done a wonderful job, a bit similar to when we narrowly escaped relegation
a couple of seasons ago, although Roy's got better players than I had then.'
Portsmouth suffered their fourth consecutive defeat but Redknapp added:
'Personally I couldn't see us losing today, and I don't know how we did.
'For 75 minutes we were clearly the better team but we didn't do anything
with our chances or possession.
'Still, we've finished eighth in the Premier League and we are in the FA Cup
final next week. That's not a bad season for Portsmouth is it? I don't think it
can get any better for a club like this.
'And I don't think the defeats will affect our players for Wembley. We'll
bounce back and that's really all that matters. David James has another six days
to get fit and I'm hopeful he will.'
