Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is happy with the decision to keep Jimmy Bullard waiting over a new contract.

Hodgson, who is preparing his side to host Newcastle on Sunday, has backed the club's decision to make Bullard wait - given the uncertain financial climate.

"When Jimmy made the England squad his agent was very quick, as agents are, to fly forward and say 'my boy is in the squad - I want to tear up that contract and renegotiate'," he reported.

"But the club wasn't keen to do it, and I've got to say that I'm on the side of the club in this economic time.

"It's very difficult to predict what will happen four years down the line at the moment.

"We've got a player; we were asked by the chief executive to hold fire and assess it - and I've got to say that as far as Jimmy is concerned, it's not been a topic of discussion between us.

"We've got quite a few players with contracts running out in two years' time. The club's policy has been 'let's look at it when the time comes'."

Hodgson argues the ease with which contracts are broken makes it difficult to justify granting Bullard, whose form has dipped since his England call-up, a new deal.

"If it was a case of we'll give him a contract and we were 100 per cent certain he'd be our player for four years then we would - but that's not the case," he said.

"Another club comes in a week later for a player, and then they want to leave. It's very difficult for clubs.

"Look at (Fulham great) Johnny Haynes - there can't have been too many clubs who didn't want to sign him, but he spent his whole career at Fulham.

"Things were different in those days. If Johnny said 'I'd like to extend my two years to five' there'd be no hesitation - but these days, they get a new contract and they're on their way.

"I've got to be content that this squad of players at the moment are under contract.

"No-one's contract is running out. I can count on them, and we will see what happens.

"We might have to sell one because the offer is too good, but you take that problem when it comes."