Scott Parker Fulham
BOSS Scott Parker outlined his “huge respect” for “constant professional” Emi Marcondes but insisted there was a “decision” to be made regarding the midfielder closer to the transfer window shutting. A report from Danish media outlet Bold.dk this week claimed Brondby were interested in taking the former Brentford man on loan.
Emi Marcondes said: “I will not comment on which clubs have approached, but I have had good talks with my manager (Parker) about the road to playing time getting shorter and shorter. He is very satisfied with my work effort and my professionalism, and hopefully it won’t be long before I fulfil my dream of playing in the Premier League.”
Asked what it was like to have that conversation, and how big a role Marcondes could play for his side this campaign,
Scott Parker said: “Those conversations are those conversations, really. Like anything, you move up in levels and the levels of where you’re going to is down to the players. Ultimately their talent and their levels – opportunity of course. Regarding Emi, big challenge for him, that’s clear. Last year, probably didn’t play a lot of football at the back end of the season in the Championship. Wasn’t really involved in and around it. Constant professional, he had a big part to play early on and then just found his way. Found himself out the side, really. So, look, a decision probably will be for Emi again this year in that sense. And we’ll have to make that call when we get closer to that window or between now and then, to see exactly what Emi wants and how that picture may look for him this year. But, yeah, ultimately that will be down to him.”
Marcondes is yet to play a minute for Cherries in the Premier League this season, having been an unused substitute against Aston Villa and Manchester City. He only featured twice during Cherries’ Championship run-in since the end of February last campaign. Put to him whatever happened he would have a lot of respect for the 27-year-old,
Scott Parker replied: “A million per cent, a lot of respect. Huge respect for Emi. A constant professional, like you said, through disappointing times for him, not involved or not around the squad. His behaviour and the way he handles himself, very consistent and he’s very professional in that. So, I have a huge amount of respect for Emi first and first and foremost as a guy and the way he handles himself.”
Scott Parker believes the Cherries faithful will have a big part to play in their bid for survival this season – by helping turn the Vitality Stadium into an “uncomfortable” place for visiting teams. However, Cherries’ head coach knows that his team will need to provide the spark on the pitch to generate the required atmosphere in the stands. There was an electric atmosphere at the Vitality Stadium on the opening day of the season, exacerbated when Jefferson Lerma opened scores inside the first two minutes. When asked what role fans at Cherries’ home games had to play,
Scott Parker replied: “Massive part, massive part to play. Tight stadium and they’ve got a big part to play. We need to make this place uncomfortable this year for teams to come to, we need to generate that – it’s down to us, down to my players to do that, they need to get the energy and give the energy to the stadium. They need to give the energy to the crowd. How we do that is with the way we play and how forceful we are, how we can dominate in certain moments and be progressive in certain moments, can bring that energy and then we can react from that as well. An early goal last time gave everyone a lift. First game in the Premier League after two years of not being in it, it was a massive lift. And it gave everyone a big lift in a stadium, really. So we need to continue that.”
Parker also detailed how his side can make it difficult for bigger teams, stressing that whilst Cherries would be respectful of opponents, as soon as both teams crossed the white lines, they would try and leave their mark on games. Speaking on how his side would look to play against more fancied sides at the Vitality Stadium,
Scott Parker started: “There’s loads of elements to that. Try and put our stamp on it, try and work out where we can exploit their weaknesses – which they will have – and also home stadium, the fans. In terms of what we need to bring to the game, there are loads of facets why we need to step here. While of course we respect everyone that steps on the field when we play, there needs to be an element of these are just names and we need to put our stamp on this game and we need to bring our personality to this game. That’s the most important thing that we need as well as the tactical element, all facets, out of possession, in possession. We need to bring personality to this game on Saturday.”
