Bobby Zamora will bounce back for Fulham next season – Steve Sidwell

Steve Sidwell,Fulham vs Arsenal

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Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell believes that striker Bobby Zamora will be back to his best next year having fully recovered from a broken leg.

Zamora had enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2009-10, spearheading the Fulham attack as they reached the Europa League final, but suffered the injury in September 2010, severely disrupting his progress this term.

“The leg break last season came as a massive disappointment and I for one was gutted for him. Up until that point things had been going very well for him – he had just won a deserved England call-up, he had signed a new contract with Fulham and he was on a real high,” Sidwell told the club’s official website.

“But that’s football I suppose, you never know what is around the corner. But he’s back now and I know he’ll be looking forward to getting the new season started and doing what he does best.”

Sidwell, a January arrival at Craven Cottage from Aston Villa, spoke of the friendship between the pair that had begun during their time at Brighton together eight years ago.

“At that time Bobby was probably the best striker outside of the Premier League,” he enthused.

“We’re going back a long time now, but you could tell that he had the talent to go on and play at the top.

“I was only there for a short spell, but it was apparent that they thought very highly of him down there – he had his own songs and even had newborn babies named after him!

“For whatever reason we just got on, and we remained in touch ever since. We even lined up alongside each other for the England Under-21s, so it’s a friendship that goes back a long way.

“We’ve always followed each others’ careers, so it’s nice that we’ve come together now at Fulham. To be honest, he was a big factor in me joining as you would imagine.”

Sidwell, who had a difficult time establishing himself at first Chelsea and then Villa Park, acknowledged that both he and Zamora had been given a second chance at Fulham.

“Players seem to thrive here,” the 28-year-old observed.

“I think that’s because it’s a club that is willing to give players a chance. Things might not have been going well for them for a variety of reasons elsewhere, but here they still see the potential.

“There are so many examples of that in this team, from front to back. Some of them probably didn’t have the luck that they had hoped for at their previous club, but they have come here and gone on to be very successful.

“That shows what this place is all about and the opportunities that you are given. For some reason, this club gets the best out of us and long may that continue.”

Fulham are preparing for the upcoming qualifying rounds of the Europa League after making it into the competition through the Fair Play system.