SCOTT Parker says Burnley’s track record for sticking with their managers was “a big factor” in his decision to join the Clarets.
Former Cherries boss Parker has returned to management, taking the vacancy at recently relegated Burnley, following Vincent Kompany’s departure to Bayern Munich.
The 43-year-old will be looking to get a third Championship promotion on his CV, having taken both Fulham and Cherries up to the Premier League in the past.
Discussing his decision to join the Lancashire outfit, Parker told the club’s media: “They’ve got similar traits in what they stand for as a football club and certainly what I stand for and some core values are very similar – hard work, honesty and humility.
“At this present moment in time, this is a really good opportunity for me.
“I’ve been in this position a few times of teams that have been relegated, come out of the top league and the dynamics of what that may bring, certainly this year.
“There is a big challenge here, which I’m absolutely relishing. I cannot wait to get going.
“Let’s try and be successful and build a team that the whole football club and the fans are very proud of and this team can represent every single one of them. That’s the aim.
“I’m excited about the challenge we face. That’s the main driving force in my head now.
“I’m pleased to be here. It’s been a long-ish process.
“We’ve been speaking for some time now, which is probably a positive, as I’ve got a real feel for the people around the club.”
Parker, who was sacked by Cherries in August 2022 following a 9-0 loss against Liverpool, becomes just the 30th permanent Burnley boss in the club’s 142-year history.
“As a manager, you’re judged on results, I totally understand that,” said Parker.
“But to do the best job you can do, to build that culture and longevity, you need to feel support.
“You need to feel that certainly from above.
“The numbers suggest managers are supported here, whether that’s from fanbase or ownership.
“For sure that’s a big factor for me.”
Asked if he can use his experiences from Fulham and Cherries at Burnley, Parker said: “I’ve gone into two different football clubs with both the same objective.
“I’ve seen and experienced certain things that happened at these football clubs and what needs to happen.
“Culturally is the biggest one. You’ll often here managers sit and talk about culture and environment.
“It’s a fundamental ingredient to build a team and certainly to build a team that gets promoted.
“There’s three teams in the league this year that are going to be successful.
“The ratios and numbers are really against you in that sense.
“But there’s some key ingredients I’ve learnt along the way, not just through 20 years of playing the game, but also the three years I’ve had as a coach.
“That’s something I need to install, am going to need to lead and give every bit of my experiences into this job now.
“As a young boy brought up in a council estate in the middle of London, there are some values that have been inbred in me and stuck with me that have given me an unbelievable career. It’s those ingredients I need to bring across here.”
He added: “There’s probably parallels into the Burnley fans and what this club represents.
“Those parallels are exactly what I stand for.
“We can talk about tactics and philosophy and I’ll bring those ideas, but fundamentally, first and foremost, we need to have some core values of what we stand for as a team to be successful.”
