Parker confident Fulham can ‘prove people wrong’ ahead of Arsenal clash

Scott Parker believes it’s one thing to be a good player – like himself and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta – it’s quite another to be a good manager.

Former Fulham boss Jean Tigana used to lie awake at nights wondering how to coach his squad.

The French international star said it gave him headaches – and he was a European Championship winner.

Parker endorses the view.

He will glance at the man adjacent to him in the Craven Cottage technical area tomorrow, more than aware they followed a similar career path to a top job.

But then so have other top players who then failed to cut it when it came to the manager’s job.

Parker insists it’s one thing being able to perform at the top level – it’s quite another to pass it on to players.

“Mikel has brought on Arsenal in a short space of time,” Parker said.

“I think they can be a big force, and we as players had many battles when I was at West Ham and Tottenham.

“But this job is full-on. You need to step into it fully committed, and that’s a big part of being successful.

“When you’ve played in the big arenas, and know it for what it is as a player, all of a sudden you step out of it and have to teach others. It’s very different.

“You can step on a pitch and demonstrate, and I can understand what I need in my head, but there’s an art to teaching others your ideas.”

A win for Fulham, and the club are up and running.

A defeat, and hopefully nothing like the 5-1 mauling at the Cottage in October 2018, is not a signal for doom and gloom, Parker insists.

“We’re going to have some struggles,” he said.

“But I firmly believe we can challenge and prove people wrong.

“We’re going to prepare to hurt them (Arsenal), and we understand how we can limit them.

“The first game gives you a platform, but you have to makes sure the downs, and there will be downs, don’t affect you.

“When you get a jab on the nose, you come back punching”.