MX23RW : Monday, April 29 01:36:55| >> :120:20177:20177:

Just do your best, Parker urges struggling Fulham

Just do your best, Parker urges struggling Fulham
© Reuters
Second-bottom Fulham are some 10 points off safety.

Caretaker manager Scott Parker will focus on the positives as Fulham look to give themselves a fighting chance of staying in the Premier League.

Former Cottagers midfielder Parker was handed the reins until the end of the season following the departure of Claudio Ranieri.

Few give Fulham, who are second bottom and some 10 points off safety, much chance of survival.

Parker, though, wants to install a fresh mindset after the club failed to build on last season's promotion despite a heavy summer spending spree.

"At the moment I'm finding that really easy to change the focus," said Parker, whose side suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to west London rivals Chelsea last weekend.

"The majority this year is how bad we have done, the focus this year is we are going to get relegated.

"The focus has been that we have spent a lot of money and where have we spent it. That is not my focus.

"My focus to the players is just do your best, do as much as you can every single day, drive standards, have world-class standards. I know the football will come from that."

Parker added at a press conference: "There has been a bit of gloom around the place and that is players included.

"I have been in situations as a player where every comment you read and every bad pass you play feels like an absolute ton of bricks coming down on you.

"That is the cold reality and me trying to sieve away certain elements of that and trying to refocus and say 'let's forget about that, this is what we need to do'.

"I certainly feel like it has helped the players and I hope it helps everyone else."

Fulham head to Leicester on Saturday, where new boss Brendan Rodgers will be in the dugout for the first time at the King Power Stadium.

Unlike former Liverpool and Celtic boss Rodgers, Parker only has a short-term deal, for the moment anyway.

The 38-year-old, though, is very much looking to keep the Cottagers' future interests at heart.

"I have an affiliation with this club which is helpful and I will treat this job in the long term in the sense of every decision I make will be for the best of Fulham, whether I am here in 10 games time or not," Parker said.

"I will have an eye on things and try to leave the club with a stamp that will be an improvement."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '30455565-ea1e-41e9-be1d-f77cd3ed4b6f');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Just do your best, Parker urges struggling Fulham'});

ID:352688: cacheID:352688:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4798:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk pictured on February 9, 2019
Read Next:
PL Team of the Week - Lukaku, Van Dijk, Jimenez
>
Read more about Scott Parker Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal35255585285780
2Manchester CityMan City34247382325079
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs33186967521560
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea33139116359448
10Bournemouth35139135260-848
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3579194262-2026
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!