I have to admit that I wasn’t sure Scott Parker would be a success at Tottenham. Back in the summer Spurs already had a packed midfield full of talent and I couldn’t see Parker slotting in or really making a difference. How wrong I was. Quality thrives in conditions of competition and as is usually the case the cream of the crop has risen to the top. Parker’s success at Tottenham is a result of his ability and his attitude and for that reason it was never really in doubt.
That meant that even with Luka Modric, Tom Huddlestone, Rafael Van der Vaart and Sandro vying for two places in Tottenham’s midfield, Scott Parker has still been able to establish himself as a nailed on starter for the North London side.
Considering he is reported to have cost Spurs just £5.5m this summer, he surely has to be in contention for signing of the season. He was Tottenham’s brightest light in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool with an energetic, tenacious performance that ensured Spurs came away from Anfield with a draw.
Harry Redknapp has tasked Scott Parker with breaking up the opposition’s play and this is something he excels at. He’s tough, physical and can put in a meaty challenge, but he isn’t a dirty player. It’s not surprising that he’s picking up plenty of bookings and fouls given the amount of tackles he has been throwing in.
The only real problem when it comes to Scott Parker is his age. At 31-years-old, he’s now beyond his peak condition and may soon embark upon a steady decline. There’s a good chance that his tough tackling and his give-everything attitude could only help his regression. Realistically Scott Parker will only be able to keep up this type of form for another 2-3 years.
He may not exactly rely on pace to get the job done, but given the speed at which football is played in the Premier League, it’ll be tough for Parker to play the enforcer role in the centre of Tottenham’s midfield, if he can’t keep up with players on the ball.
Which is why I wish Scott Parker were ten years younger, or simply that he’d been given a real opportunity earlier in his career. This is man who could have been a force at International level if his development was handled correctly.
As it is, I hope that the likes of Sandro and Jake Livermore are paying attention to the former West Ham midfielder and learning from him whenever they can. After all, I’m hard pressed to think of another player who has more to offer Tottenham’s youngsters than Scott Parker.
Follow @ThePerfectPass on Twitter for details on all the latest updates and various football-related musings.
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
My brother who is not given to hyberbole said that he thinks he’s the new Dave Mackay. While i don’t think he’s quite that, he is surely one of the very best signings that Harry has ever made and is a great role model for youngsters as well.
we had a chance to get him when much younger, but we messed about and so chelsea took him from charlton. a complete waste of his talents, not least as he was not put in the team!. then he wasted time with the barcodes and then did a pretty good impersonation of king canute try to keep west ham up; only ever one outcome. still better later than never, for him and us
he,s a winner and wants the title…he really allows the others to perform…….palacios was like a general but parker is the real deal…..