Scott Parker’s message to his squad ahead of Cherries’ trip to Anfield is clear – to ‘try and challenge’ Liverpool, rather than find the experience ‘daunting’. Parker will travel to Merseyside as the last manager to record a Premier League win away at Liverpool, with his Fulham side the last team to beat Jurgen Klopp’s Reds at Anfield back in March 2021, a 1-0 victory. Liverpool are yet to record a win this season, with Klopp’s charges tasting defeat to arch-rivals Manchester United on Monday. Their first home game of the campaign ended in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, with the away side opening scores. Reflecting on the challenge ahead,
Scott Parker shared: “These are the games that certainly when I was as a player and even now, sitting here as a coach, these are ones you thrive off, really. You’re going up in boxing terms, pound for pound. They’re elite in everything they do. And you need to adopt an attitude, which is you want to go and try and challenge that. You want to relish that opportunity and try and get the better of that, rather than the opposite, really. And I think that’s probably the main message. That was certainly the main message before when I’ve been to Anfield, certainly the way I thought about playing against these big players in these big teams. It was one I embraced and one that I look forward to, really. So, yeah, I need to give that message to the team, really. And these players, which is very new to some of them, the Premier League, Anfield, Man City away. These are all big challenges, but ones they need to embrace and look forward to. The other option is you find it very daunting, you find it very difficult. And that’s the polar opposite to what I want, really. So, yeah, we need to (It’s cliché), but we need to enjoy it. Of course we do. We need to enjoy it in a real positive way. We need to establish ourselves. We need to show our qualities, for sure. And while they may be limited and while they may be very difficult, is certainly something we need to embrace in that sense.”
Scott Parker has played down any hopes of Cherries re-signing Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips ahead of next week’s transfer deadline. Phillips had a huge impact during his loan stint at Cherries in the second half of last season, playing 17 times in the Championship as Parker’s men secured a return to the Premier League. Speculation has linked the 25-year-old with a move back to Vitality Stadium for much of this summer, with Parker regularly stating his desire for further arrivals at centre-back. Asked by the Daily Echo in May whether he could return to Cherries this season,
Nat Phillips said: “I can’t rule anything out. But ultimately it comes down to, it’s not just me. There’s various conversations that need to be had involving Bournemouth, Liverpool and whoever. I’m so grateful that I made the decision to come here (in January). I’ve enjoyed my time so much. It’s been brilliant. I’ve loved every minute of it. But I’ve enjoyed that challenge and I’ve enjoyed playing regular football.”
But following an injury to centre-back Ibrahima Konate, Phillips has been bumped up the pecking order at Liverpool. At the time, boss Jurgen Klopp said Konate’s injury would “probably” influence outgoing transfers at the club. Phillips started the club’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace earlier this month and was named on the bench for Monday night’s defeat to Manchester United. Asked if there was any chance of getting Phillips back at Cherries,
Scott Parker said: “I think that’s probably a difficult one. Nat’s at a football team that when you’re there, you probably don’t want to leave. That’s the facts. When you’re at the top clubs, you don’t want to be jumping out of there too quick, certainly when you see opportunity. At this moment, Nat is right in there. He’s played some games really as well. He was a massive part of what we did, back-end last year. We brought him in in January and he was a driving force for us in getting promoted. An unbelievable professional, exceptional player in his moments. So who knows? But certainly at this moment, I’m sure he’s happy putting the red shirt on and playing for Liverpool.”
Scott Parker is hoping players with Premier League experience can be added to his Cherries squad by the end of the transfer window, insisting: “Everyone is trying everything they can to try and strengthen us.” Cherries fell to a second humbling defeat in as many weeks on Saturday, crashing to a resounding 3-0 home loss against Arsenal, having been beaten 4-0 at Manchester City seven days earlier. Parker’s men currently sit 14th in the embryonic Premier League table, picking up three points from an opening-day win over Aston Villa. They are set to drop to 15th tonight, once the third round of matches have been completed. Speaking after the loss to Arsenal, Parker slammed his squad’s first-half performance, in which they conceded twice in the opening 11 minutes.
Scott Parker said: “In terms of our general endeavour, our body language, our humility to accept certain situations, I thought we were just easily disappointed. Our general demeanour was pretty poor really and I was disappointed immensely with that.”
Asked if he felt any of that could be put down to his squad lacking in Premier League experience, and perhaps some players being overawed by the occasion,
Scott Parker added: “Maybe, it could be. I think you’re right to maybe say that. This is a young team. There’s a lot of young players out there, players that have probably not experienced the level and the quality that they’re going to be facing. That’s my job to obviously let them understand that that’s part and parcel of the Premier League. Many a bigger team than us have faced what they faced (on Saturday) and Arsenal have done that to them. But we need to understand that and keep going in those situations really.”
Cherries have so far this summer recruited five players, but only one of those arrived having played in the Premier League before, in injured full-back Ryan Fredericks. Asked if he would like to bring in some more players with Premier League experience before the transfer window slams shut on September 1, or if it is hard for the club to get deals over the line for players within that sort of bracket,
Scott Parker added: “Hopefully that can be the case, for us to evolve as a football club. When you get promoted, the expectation of getting promoted and the levels of what you’re going into, to evolve and to improve is certainly something that hopefully we can do with obviously getting promoted. There’s 10 days left and everyone is trying everything they can to try and strengthen us and try and move the squad on in that sense.”
Scott Parker hailed his young charges for their battling display and “endeavour” away at Norwich City in the League Cup, although he also admitted that his side could have put the game to bed far earlier. First-half goals from Canaries’ Jordan Hugill and Cherries’ Emi Marcondes were added to by substitutes Adam Idah and Brooklyn Genesini late on, with the tie eventually decided by penalties. However, the away side had numerous opportunities, with a combination of the crossbar and City goalkeeper Angus Gunn keeping Cherries out for large periods of the game. Speaking after advancing,
Scott Parker shared: “Overall, it was a good night. I thought the way we played tonight was fantastic, really. The game probably should have been out of sight in that sense. The keeper, he was absolutely exceptional for them. He pulled off some incredible saves, really. And we’ve probably not done a lot wrong other than we’ve hit the target in those moments. And, I mean, he’s making saves where he’s just not got the right to do. I thought overall, I thought we were superb. Controlled the large parts, had some big chances and then showed big character at the end. To go down 2-1, with a young team on the pitch as well, to come back and then get that equaliser later on was very pleasing.”
Parker then went on to share his belief that Norwich will be there or thereabouts in the second tier come the end of the season, stressing how impressive his side looked at times against what he views as a “very good side.”
Scott Parker continued: “I thought we had a real endeavour about us. I thought we had some lovely bits and created and unlock the door, really, for big opportunities against a very good side.cThis is a team that’s going to be in and around the top part of the table this year, looking to get promoted into the Premier League. And I thought we came here tonight and really put a strong performance in.”
Meanwhile, David Brooks has become the latest Cherries star to commit his future to the club, signing a new four-year contract extension. The Wales international first joined the club in the summer of 2018, but has not featured for 11 months, having been diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma last year. Cherries chief executive
Neill Blake said: “We are all aware of what David has been through over the last year so to have reached this moment is very pleasing for us. He still has a huge role to play for the club so we’re delighted he has become the latest key player to commit their future to us. He has made incredible progress in his recovery alongside our backroom team and, whenever the time comes, it will give everyone at the club great pride to see him back on the pitch in an AFC Bournemouth shirt.”
Brooks, whose game-time was previously limited by ankle injuries, has made 90 appearances for Cherries, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists. The Warrington-born star also featured for Wales at Euro 2020 last summer, and has 21 caps for his country. Discussing the progress of the former Manchester City youngster last week,
Scott Parker said: “David is pushing on really. He’s now with the team, modified in terms of his training, but he’s with us. He’s no longer on his own. So now he’s split between the two groups of being on his own and also being with us in a controlled environment. I’d like to think that maybe over the next week or 10 days, we can start pushing him into full training. And then from there try and get him up to a level and speed of participating at Premier League level really.”
