TheDailySoccerNews.com

LIVERPOOL’S incredible comeback against AC Milan in the Champions League five years ago is rightly considered as one of the truly great European stories.

But if Fulham beat Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final tomorrow, I’d rate it as an even greater achievement. Truly amazing, in fact.

It would be the ultimate victory for the underdogs and almost all neutrals will be cheering for Roy Hodgson’s team in Germany.

It’s brilliant that at a time when big clubs continue to dominate in the Premier League, a less-fancied team is flying the English flag abroad. It’s so refreshing and it would be nice to have more of the same next year.

Throughout this season, I have looked at Fulham’s results in the competition and thought ‘good win for them, but they’ll get knocked out next round’.

But Fulham have continued to surprise me – and probably themselves – and now they are on the brink of the greatest moment in their history.

What Hodgson has achieved is no fluke. He’s a really good manager and let’s be honest, Fulham don’t exactly have any players with much of a wow factor.

Not many of their players will attract too much interest from other clubs in the summer but, as a unit, they are a extremely tough proposition thanks to Hodgson.

Fulham have done better than Liverpool in Europe with a team which cost a fraction of Rafa Benitez’s and this has to be good for football. It gives a glimmer of hope to all football fans who at the start of the season, think the best they can achieve in the top flight is mid-table mediocrity.

It’s obviously vital for Fulham to have a fit Bobby Zamora up front tomorrow.

His impressive performances, particularly in Europe, have given him a chance of squeezing a place in Fabio Capello’s squad for the World Cup.

But while he can hold the ball up and bring others into play, I’m still wondering whether he has the presence to cause problems at international level.

While he struggled at West Ham and Spurs, his two best spells have been at Brighton and Fulham where the pressure has been considerably less.

I would still have him behind both Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole in the pecking order.

There will be quite a few Tottenham players hoping to be named in Capello’s provisional 30-man squad today and I have to pass on my congratulations to them.

To beat big-spending Manchester City to fourth is also fantastic for Spurs and it is another example of what can be done when you have a decent manager at a club which is stable. Finally, Leeds have been off the radar but after three years in League One, they are back in the Championship.

I don’t think it will be long before they join Newcastle back in the Premier League.

Simon Grayson is the latest example to prove Englishmen can actually manage – and you don’t always have to look abroad.