Scott Parker

2023 - 2 - 16

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Football365.com"

Scott Parker and Club Brugge are unsurprisingly turning out to be a ... (Football365.com)

Scott Parker became the fifth Englishman to manage in the knockout stage of the Champions League with Club Brugge, but things didn't go well against ...

But as his current charges return to that scramble and with their chances of further progression in the Champions League looking slight to impossible, it does already feel that, unlike that magnificent collection of cardigans, Parker and the Belgian Pro League might not be the most comfortable fit. Club Brugge had started their Champions League group stage with an impressive three wins and qualified with comfort despite failing to win any of their last three, including a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Porto. They’d only won one of their last five matches prior to Parker’s appointment and had been knocked out of the Belgian Cup at the last-16 stage with a somewhat embarrassing 4-1 home defeat to mid-table Sint-Truiden. I liked the idea of moving abroad, I liked the idea of a different culture.” It has been reported that the club contacted him “out of the blue” about the position and that his rationale for accepting the offer was about broadening his horizons and sampling a different culture. With 30 seconds to play of a goalless first half, the Jan Breydel Stadium erupted when Dennis Odoi headed the home side into the lead.

Former Bournemouth boss Scott Parker lays down gauntlet for ... (Dorset Live)

Parker, now in charge of Club Brugge, was sacked at Vitality Stadium after the defeat to Liverpool.

"We need to understand that we're going up against a very good side in Benfica, who have quality all over the pitch. We need to nullify any threats Benfica are going to pose to us. "It's a fantastic opportunity for everyone at the football club," he said. They were held to a 1-1 draw with Union Saint-Gilloise last time out, and Parker is keen for a response. Parker, though, is remaining grounded, having laid out the threat that their opponents will hold. "Of course, the level of opposition we're going up against is completely different and we need to respect that," he admitted.

Scott Parker to make Champions League history as Club Brugge ... (Daily Mail)

Parker was last in the consciousness of many English football fans when he was axed by Bournemouth 72 hours after a humiliating 9-0 defeat at Liverpool.

The opportunity was just a great one at a club that is used to winning and wants to win. 'I just felt like from where I was in my career, I wanted something different. Craig Shakespeare (left) was in charge of Leicester when they lost to Atletico Madrid in the 2016-17 Champions League, while Frank Lampard (right) was Chelsea boss when they were thrashed 7-1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in 2020 I liked the idea of moving abroad, I liked the idea of a different culture. Scott Parker takes charge of Belgian side Club Brugge against Benfica in the Champions League last-16 this week Scott Parker will become only the FOURTH English manager to lead a team in the Champions League knockout stage tonight when Club Brugge take on Benfica...

Ex-AFC Bournemouth boss Scott Parker loses first Champions ... (Bournemouth Echo)

FORMER Cherries boss Scott Parker took charge of his first Champions League game on Tuesday night, his Club Brugge side losing 2-0 to Benfica.

Appointed manager of Club Brugge in December, the former Fulham manager has won just once in the eight games since his appointment. [games](/leisure/games/) into the Premier League season after airing his grievances over recruitment in press conference. [Cherries](/sport/cherries/clubnews/) boss Scott Parker took charge of his first Champions League game on Tuesday night, his Club Brugge side losing 2-0 to Benfica.

Scott Parker has nightmare Champions League manager debut as ... (The Sun)

SCOTT PARKER'S big night on the Champions League stage fell flat against Benfica.The 42-year-old became just the fifth English coach to lead a side.

[BETTING SPECIAL - BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK](https://www.thesun.co.uk/betting/20573171/best-sports-betting-apps/) [became just the fifth English coach](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21363782/graham-potter-scott-parker-chelsea-fulham-champions-league/) to lead a side into the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition with [Club Brugge](https://www.thesun.co.uk/club-brugge/). [Benfica](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1558298/benfica/) piled on the pressure in the first half through Rafa Silva and Goncalo Ramos. Brugge travel to Lisbon for the second leg on March 7. [Champions League](https://www.thesun.co.uk/topic/champions-league/) group stages for the first time in their history. The hosts thought they had taken the lead on the brink of half time with a header from Parker’s old Fulham teammate Denis Odoi – a winter signing – only to be judged offside.

Watching Scott Parker and Denis Odoi's unlikely reunion in the ... (The Athletic)

No Fulham fan could have possibly foreseen that Scott Parker would be managing Denis Odoi in the Champions League knockout stages.

It was a big moment for Parker, who became only the fourth English manager to coach in the Champions League knockout stages. Parker inherited a Champions League opportunity upon his appointment on New Year’s Eve but also a team that was fourth in the table and 12 points adrift of leaders Genk. Benfica went on to take the lead through a Joao Mario penalty, which they would double late on through David Neres. This would be his second goal for the club he joined in January 2022 and it was a huge moment for his manager, Scott Parker, on his Champions League debut. Tajon Buchanon had the best of them, surging down the left wing only to see his effort repelled by goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. He has since thrived, winning the Belgian title, holding his own in the Champions League and then earning a World Cup call-up with Ghana. This season, he only reprised that role once, instead slotting in at centre-back or right-back, where he spent much of his time at Fulham. In fact, Odoi told Fulham’s matchday programme after the English coach had left that it was the most difficult year of his career. In fairness, this was not a new role for Odoi. Bruges turned to Parker after a poor title defence saw them dismiss coach Carl Hoefkens despite his impressive results in Europe. His header, via a deflection or two, bounced into the back of the net. But then the assistant’s flag was raised.

Benfica build lead in first leg against Scott Parker's Club Brugge (The Irish News)

Parker, who played in the competition for Chelsea, had his first outing as a manager in it at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday evening, but finished on the ...

Lang was doing his best to spark the home side into life once again, but Parker's men lacked the craft and guile to break down a well-organised defence and as they committed men to the search for an equaliser, they looked vulnerable on the counter. Jack Hendry's trip on the striker handed the midfielder the chance to open the scoring from the spot, and he duly obliged, if only just with Mignolet touching his attempt on to the underside of the crossbar without reward. Benfica's finishing did not improve immediately after the restart with Ramos steering wide from Alejandro Grimaldo's inviting free-kick, but he played a key role to enable Mario to break the deadlock with 50 minutes gone.