Teymourian hopeful for first start for Fulham

IRNA - Iranian international midfielder Andranik Teymourian is hopeful of playing his first game for Fulham next weekend after being an unused substitute in the London club's unexpected defeat by newly-promoted Hull City last Saturday.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admitted after the 2-1 defeat that his team faced "another tough fight against relegation this season" and opened the door to the possibility of Teymourian being given an early opportunity.

"In the second half Hull used the long ball game and it disturbed our rhythm and we got sucked into that level. That's no complaint towards Hull, but it meant we weren't able to give the ball to our midfield players," Hodgson said after the first game of the season.

The Iranian international believed that Hodgson, in his first full season with Fulham, has been happy with his training since joining the club during the summer on a free transfer from fellow Premier League side Bolton in north-west England.

Being given the number six shirt by the manger was an indication of his importance in the first-time squad, he said in an exclusive interview with IRNA.

"I have been training hard to get back to playing in a fixed position in the team," Teymourian said. At Bolton, he was not given the opportunities he wanted, especially after their manager Sam Allardyce left last season, when he was given various roles.

Fulham, who narrowly escaped relegation last season, face the daunting derby match at home next Saturday evening against fellow London club Arsenal, three times winners of the Premier League.

Since originally signing for Bolton for an undisclosed fee from FC Aboomoslem in the Iranian Premier League in August 2006, the international said he had gained good experience from the English game.

Before joining the London side, he revealed that he had some "good offers" to play for German and Spanish teams but that he had decided to stay in the English Premier league, currently as Iran's only player.

His accession to arguably the world's best league was due to hard-work, support from his family and being a regular player in both Iran's national side and domestic teams, Teymourian said.

He congratulated his country's success in the West Asian Football Federation Championship football competition but said that national team now faced a "difficult" World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia next month.

The midfielder said he remained ready to serve his country if he is again selected for the game in Saudi Arabia on September 6, which is the first of the fourth round series of matches.