Leeds United have placed Scott Parker under serious consideration to be their new long-term manager, according to reports.
Where is Scott Parker now?
Parker is a former professional turned coach who has gradually built up experience over the years, having started out in charge of Tottenham Hotspur’s U18s before going on to take the helm himself at Fulham, Bournemouth and most recently Club Brugge, who he departed in March, as per Transfermarkt.
Following the 42-year-old’s exit from the Belgian Pro League, he is now a free agent on the market and waiting to embark on his next adventure, and it sounds like he’s got admirers within the hierarchy at Elland Road.
The Athletic’s Phil Hay reported that the Whites were set to interview Parker last week alongside Daniel Farke and Patrick Vieira, and the 49ers must have liked what they saw from him as he is firmly being thought about to return to the Championship.
Are Leeds appointing Parker?
According to Football Insider, Parker is “in the frame” at Leeds to be appointed as their new boss ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Yorkshire outfit are “keen” to recruit someone who is currently out of work and that has experience in the top-flight, a criteria which all of the above mentioned trio meet, therefore making them the “leading candidates” for the job.
The report adds that the board are hoping to bring in their news boss over the course of the next week in time for the beginning of pre-season.
Leeds supporters will recognise that Parker is a younger candidate to be targeting compared to the likes of Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce, but Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola lauded him as an “innovative” coach for his new ideas, so he could be an ideal fit for a team in need of a new dawn.
In the Championship, the Lambeth-born coach, whose preferred formation is an attack-minded 4-3-3, has won 48, drawn 25 and lost just 19 games from 92, taking 169 points from a possible 276, via Transfermarkt, which is an impressive track record.
During his time at Fulham and Bournemouth respectively, this consistent form saw him guide both clubs to promotion from the second-tier, so he will already know what it takes to compete and be successful at the necessary level, and when you consider that no compensation would need to be paid to acquire his services, this is a swoop worth taking a chance on.
