Zamora has been in red-hot form for the Cottagers this term and took his tally to 11 for the season with the goal which earned Fulham a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Hodgson, and Cottagers strike partner Andy Johnson, believe the 28-year-old deserves a chance to rival the likes of Emile Heskey, Carlton Cole and Peter Crouch for a place in England's World Cup squad. Zamora, who rejected a move to Hull last summer, has scored six in his last seven games and his manager admits he is likely to have a fight on his hands to keep the Londoner at Craven Cottage. "I'm sure he would attract attention because as I have said before, there are not so many players of that type playing in the Premier League and there are even fewer English ones playing in the Premier League," said Hodgson. "We used to produce a lot of big, strong target-playing type centre-forwards and we were always lamenting the fact that we didn't have the little, quick, tricky ones to play off them. "Now it seems there is a dearth of target men so I wouldn't be at all surprised if we have calls for Bobby." Despite finding the net only four times, Hodgson kept faith with Zamora throughout most of last season. The 62-year-old does not believe the 6ft striker owes him any debt of gratitude but is nevertheless determined to keep hold of the former England Under-21 international. "We'll tell those that do bid, hopefully, that he is not for sale and we want to keep him here and we hope he wants to stay with us as well," said Hodgson. "I don't know that players owe coaches. That would be a new one on the agenda. I think coaches owe players, but players do not owe coaches." Fulham can close the gap on eighth-placed Birmingham to two points on Tuesday night with a win against Stoke, who are without a league win in six. Andrew Johnson is expected to join Zamora in attack for Fulham after he came through Saturday's game without suffering any recurrence of the groin injury which has sidelined him since October. Hodgson is confident Fulham can go from strength to strength now that he has his first-choice strike partnership available. "Bobby and AJ have a good understanding together and AJ gives us that threat in behind," said Hodgson. "Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora are our first-choice strikers. We have others, Zoltan (Gera) has done a great job in there, of course we've got (Erik) Nevland, (Diomansy) Kamara and (Seol) Ki-Hyeon. "But Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora were the two players who were bought to play in those positions and they are the two players who last season kicked us into seventh place." Hodgson will welcome back Damien Duff, Danny Murphy and Chris Baird for the game, who were all rested at the weekend. Paul Konchesky (back) should play after coming through Saturday's game and Chris Smalling will continue to deputise for Brede Hangeland if the Norway defender fails to recover from a knee injury.
