Fulham midfielder Zoltan Gera has described Roy Hodgson as the best manager he has ever worked with in his career.

Hodgson, who is currently locked in contract negotiations to extend his stay at Craven Cottage, took over in 2007 and has guided the club to the Europa League.

In his first season at the club the former Blackburn, Inter Milan and Finland coach miraculously guided Fulham to Premier League safety, and Gera says the team have improved leaps and bounds since then.

His management has been so impressive that it even prompted an attempt earlier this month from Norway to take on the national side but Hodgson rejected the move.

Hungarian international Gera, who has been in and out of the Cottagers side this season, heaped praise on Hodgson for not only keeping Fulham in the Premier League, but guiding them to the next level too.

"I think the manager is very intelligent and has a lot of experience, I've learnt a lot from him over the last 18 months. He's one of the best managers I've ever worked with" he told the club's official website.

"I think he's done so well in the last two years at the club.

"Everybody said two seasons ago that Fulham would go down. He kept the club in the Premier League and then achieved the best ever results for the club."

Despite suffering a disappointing 2-1 reverse at the hands of Roma in the Europa League, the Cottagers bounced back and held on for a draw at Wigan last weekend, and Gera said Hodgson has them focusing on the positives.

"The manager told us lots of positive things after the Roma game. He said we played very well against a very good, experienced European side. We controlled the first half and with 11 against 11 we were the better side’’.