© BELGIUM
After four days it is already a must for Scott Parker: if Club wants to stay in the title race, it must not lose to leader Genk on Sunday. But the result of that match should not become the main thing, says the English trainer of Club Brugge. “Of course we are going to change things. Once you step onto the field, everyone has to put their head in front of it.”
Junior Verbeeke
Scott Parker must have screamed quite hoarsely on the training field this week: the Englishman came to his second press chat at Club Brugge with a hoarse voice. So it’s been a long day – Parker and his new staff even slept in the Belfius Base Camp while waiting for a new place to live. “My first days? I’m actually impressed,” says Parker. “The level at training was very good. And I feel like the guys are picking up on my message. On Tuesday I addressed everyone to introduce myself. Who I am, what I stand for, what my career looked like. And especially what I want to see. The following days I engaged in individual conversations to see how the boys are feeling. I have a very positive feeling from my first days.”
But it’s still football: even though Parker had to get to know his team in record time, you just can’t lose on Genk on Sunday. 15 points behind and on the edge of the first four places? It would be a real knock mentally. “Of course we want to get a result. But I’m also realistic,” says Parker. “It is a huge game, but at the same time it is an opportunity to get the fans behind us right away. Because we will of course still need them in the coming months.” Who Club will also be able to use is a top fit Yaremchuk. Just need to score more. Parker already had good news. “Since I’ve been here, he’s been training fully and he’s impressed me,” the Englishman nods. “I am very happy with his performance.” Furthermore, everyone is fit at Club Brugge, where they are looking forward to the first selection on Saturday.
© BELGIUM
Other accents
Of course, Parker will also change things tactically. “I’m going to put different accents, without detracting from my predecessor. Because he also did a top job. Of course I can’t give tactical details. You will see that on Sunday.” What Parker could tell is that he wants to see an excellent mentality above all. The biggest take of his short period at Club? Sharpen his team. “When you enter the field over that white line, you just have to give 100 percent. I am not satisfied with less,” he underlines. “Whether I was disturbed by the mentality during the previous matches? That’s not for me to judge. But the players know what I expect.”
And if things don’t go smoothly right away – “we really need time before we make progress” – that effort can compensate a lot. “Everyone plays a bad match once in a while. Or does a bad action. We accept that. But we will never accept that someone does not give everything for the team. That’s just not possible.”
