Scott Parker says newly-promoted Fulham must avoid the mistakes they made when last in the Premier League two seasons ago after securing a return to the top-flight with victory over Brentford in the Championship play-off final.
The 39-year-old
former Fulham and England midfielder’s pragmatic approach got the better of the
more adventurous style of Brentford counterpart Thomas Frank as his side won
2-1 after extra time Tuesday at an empty Wembley.
Parker’s approach
to tactics may not be crowd-pleasing but they could be the right recipe to
prevent the Cottagers going straight back down like they did last time.
Huge investment in
players was not rewarded with results on the pitch with many of the influx
looking hideously over-priced.
Parker was a
first-hand witness to the debacle having replaced Claudio Ranieri in February
2019 when they were all but doomed.
However, one of
owner Shahid Khan’s better investments was to hand Parker a two-year contract
despite just three wins in his nine games in charge in the Premier League.
Parker has rewarded
that faith plentifully and the Craven Cottage club will earn around £135
million ($176 million) from being promoted.
Parker, though,
like the players who remain from the relegated side is determined to not relive
the trauma that came with the battle for survival.
“There were some
clear errors made last time,” he said.
“We will learn from
that. We need to learn from that.
“We’re going into
the best league in the world, the best players, the best teams… it’s a brutal
league and I realise the challenge ahead.”
‘Sun will rise
again’ –
The 18-times capped
Parker—one of a bright new generation of managers—says that chief among the
characteristics he is trying to embed in the club is a sense of pride.
For many Fulham
fans there seemed to be a lack of commitment in several of the very well-paid
new arrivals for the 2018/19 campaign and Parker does not want that to be the
case this time round.
“What we’re trying
to build and what we’re trying to engrain in these players, in this football
club, is some core foundations,” he said.
“Sometimes those
core foundations get you far in life.
“You can have as
much talent as you want but, if you’re not building your football club on
concrete and you’re building it on sand, then in the end it will be the
rollercoaster ride.
“I hope we can grow
gradually. It’s going to be tough but, if we can’t, we have core foundations
that we always fall back on.”
Parker says key to
these core foundations is family.
“I front it on the
side and the players are the same and they go out and play, but underneath there
is a support mechanism and who I am speaking about is family and close friends
and it will be the same for the players,” said Parker.
“I am probably
proud and emotional for them because at times this year it has been very tough
and difficult.”
Joe Bryan will be
one of those players who exorcised the ghosts of relegation with his brace of
goals being the difference against Brentford.
Bryan, bought from
Bristol City in 2018 for £6 million, awoke to headlines like “Bry and Mighty”.
“It’s the best
thing I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.
“The manager gave a
speech to us in the dressing room after the game about memories and how those
are the things you remember about your career.”
Parker faces a
tough challenge but at least with a huge financial boost whereas Frank must
hope he keeps his prized assets and try again.
“The sun will rise
again tomorrow,” said the thoughtful Dane.
“It is not the end
of the world.
“If you want to
achieve something big you need to be able to bounce back from setbacks, and I
know we are coming back even stronger next season.”
