Hodgson is at the helm of Duff's vital spark

FULHAM winger Damien Duff has thanked Roy Hodgson for providing him with the spark that he believes has re-ignited his career.

Duff will line up against Wolfsburg in Germany tonight with a 2-1 first-leg lead as Fulham look to take their fairytale season one step further by claiming a place in the last four of the Europa League.

Duff's arrival at Craven Cottage last year brought to an end an unhappy three-year at Newcastle that was ravaged by injury and inconsistency. His hard work and tenacity made him an instant hit with the Fulham faithful.

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The winger admits his rejuvenation is mainly down to 62-year-old Hodgson, who also managed Duff during his first years as a professional at Blackburn. "It was well documented that my three years at Newcastle didn't work out so it was a massive move for me to come to Fulham to get my career going again," said Duff. "Working with him (Hodgson] has sparked me again."

Hodgson is without Clint Dempsey and David Elm for the Volkswagen Arena clash but Bobby Zamora is expected to be fit.