For the second week running, Scott Parker takes on a former side when his Burnley outfit make the trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham.
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Parker was also at the helm two years earlier when Fulham first won promotion to the top flight, but was unable to avoid their slide back into the second tier.
Both Fulham and Bournemouth have since managed to establish themselves as Premier League sides, while Burnley are finding it difficult to replicate that consistent success they enjoyed under Sean Dyche.
Unless they’re able to pull off a great escape between now and the end of the season, the Clarets are heading towards a third straight relegation from the Premier League.
But what is behind Fulham’s success? And how have they been able to sustain gradual improvement, to the point where they’re challenging for Europe this season?
Those questions were put to Parker on Friday ahead of this afternoon’s clash in West London.
Parker pictured as Fulham boss in 2021 (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS / POOL / AFP)placeholder image
Parker pictured as Fulham boss in 2021 (Photo by MATTHEW CHILDS / POOL / AFP)
He said: “I think, like anything, you look at those teams, or you look at teams that come up from the Championship, and clearly, from the outset, there's a clear challenge there - which we've obviously brought up many a time over the last couple of years. That's been proven and I think there's many, many different facets to it.
“You know, there isn’t just one thing. When people ask the question is: why is it that this team have come up from the Championship and managed to stay? There'll be many, many reasons, whether that's recruitment, whether that's the amount of expenditure they've been able to put into the football club to add quality, whether that is the general processes that have taken place in that moment.
“It's probably just, they've probably done things the right way, largely being investment, and then probably the way they've gone about things.
“There's probably a lot of boxes that they've ticked, and that's a big, big challenge when you're coming up from the Championship, because those challenges are there over every, every facet of the football club, and you need a lot of things to fall into place. Of course you do.
“You need to make brilliant decisions and at certain moments, you need the financial support to give you a real fighting chance at certain moments.
“You'll probably see that in those teams that have managed to stay, or have managed to be in there for a period of time, have been able to slowly progress through that.”
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While Parker’s time at Fulham didn’t end as he would have liked, facing the sack in 2021, he still has plenty of affection for a club he also played for.
“There will be a few familiar faces, no doubt. I've got a lot of fond memories there,” he added.
“I was there for a long part of the back end of my career, and then obviously got the role as a coach and then obviously managed the team, so there were a lot of fond memories, really.
“It’s a brilliant club and yeah, I'm looking forward to going back, as always.
“But as always, my main focus is us and what we need to bring and how we need to go about it at the weekend.
“It's a very good side. Brilliant coach, well-coached team, a team that's been together now for some time.
“They've established themselves now, and they've got individual talent in their team, recruited very well, and they've got individual talent that can hurt you.
“We saw that at times when we played them at home. While I thought we were strong on the day, they hurt us in certain moments, a couple of set plays and obviously a counter-attacking goal, and you can see the quality that they have.
“This will be a tough fixture and I think it's been proven, certainly at their place, that they're a strong outfit and they've picked up some really strong, positive results.
“But, like I said, we go there with one thought, it's to bring the best version of ourselves and try and get a result.”
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