Scott Parker: The Next England Manager?

Scott Parker is a name that many English football fans are familiar with. He was a hard-working and passionate midfielder who played for several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham. He also represented England at the senior level 18 times, and was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.

But Parker is not just a former player. He is also a promising young manager who has shown his ability to lead teams in different situations and leagues. He started his managerial career at Fulham, where he took over as caretaker in February 2019, following the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri. Although he could not prevent Fulham from being relegated that season, he impressed the club’s hierarchy enough to be given the job on a permanent basis.

In his first full season in charge, Parker guided Fulham to an immediate return to the Premier League, after beating Brentford in the Championship play-off final. He did so by implementing an attractive and effective style of play, based on possession, pressing and creativity. He also developed several young players, such as Ryan Sessegnon, Tom Cairney and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

However, Fulham’s second stint in the top flight was short-lived, as they were relegated again in 2020-21. Despite some encouraging performances and results, Fulham lacked consistency and goalscoring threat, and ultimately finished 18th in the table. Parker left the club by mutual consent in June 2021, after reportedly falling out with the owner Shahid Khan over the club’s direction.

Parker did not stay out of work for long, as he was appointed as the new manager of Bournemouth a few days later. He replaced Jonathan Woodgate, who had led the Cherries to the play-off semi-finals, where they lost to Brentford. Parker signed a three-year deal with Bournemouth, and stated that he was excited by the challenge of taking them back to the Premier League.

Parker’s first season at Bournemouth was a success, as he achieved promotion from the Championship at the first attempt. He built a strong and balanced squad, with experienced players like Asmir Begovic, Steve Cook and Dominic Solanke, as well as exciting talents like David Brooks, Arnaut Danjuma and Jaidon Anthony. Bournemouth finished second in the table, behind Norwich City, and scored 86 goals in 46 games.

However, Parker’s Premier League adventure with Bournemouth was cut short after only four games. The Cherries suffered a humiliating 9-0 defeat at Liverpool in their fourth match of the season, which left them bottom of the table with zero points. Parker was sacked by Bournemouth’s board, who cited a lack of confidence and trust in his ability to turn things around.

Parker did not have to wait long for another opportunity though, as he was surprisingly hired by Belgian giants Club Brugge on 31 December 2022. He became the first English manager to take charge of Club Brugge since Tony Waddington in 1974. Parker said he was honoured and delighted to join Club Brugge, who had won the Belgian league title for four consecutive seasons.

Parker’s main task at Club Brugge was to lead them in the Champions League knockout stages, where they had been drawn against Bayern Munich in the last 16. He also had to maintain their domestic dominance, as they faced competition from Anderlecht and Genk. Parker brought some of his former players with him to Club Brugge, such as Mitrovic, Danjuma and Anthony.

However, Parker’s spell at Club Brugge was short and unsuccessful. He lost his first game in charge 3-0 at Anderlecht, and then suffered a 4-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League tie. He managed to win his next two league games against Antwerp and Eupen, but then lost 3-1 at home to Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League tie, which eliminated Club Brugge from the competition.

Parker’s final game as Club Brugge manager was a 2-1 defeat at Genk on 8 March 2023. He was sacked by Club Brugge’s board after only 12 games in charge, with a record of four wins, one draw and seven losses. The board said they were disappointed with Parker’s performance and results, and thanked him for his efforts.

So what next for Scott Parker?