Despite his disastrous 12-game reign as manager of Club Brugge, Scott Parker believes he always felt he’d taste victory again.
The 44-year-old lasted only 69 days as manager in Belgium, winning only two of his 12 games.
Parker took a year out of the game after that, but returned to management with the Clarets last summer.
Parker’s choice paid off handsomely, as Burnley returned to the Premier League with 100 points.
Parker reflected on his path after Brugge, saying, “I always believed that [I would be successful], so this does not surprise me.”
“I’m not arrogant, but if someone had said that to me, I would have said, ‘I can definitely do that.'”
“Would I have wanted to do it? Maybe that would have been a different answer at that time given where I was.”
“But I’ve been a manager for four full seasons.” Four full seasons. That’s how long I’ve been a manager and over those four complete seasons, I’ve been at the height of the height. “My first position was at Fulham, where I had to be promoted.
We did it. I then moved on to the Premier League, which is clearly a great challenge for a newly promoted club, and we failed to stay there.
“Bournemouth is the same. This is the second season with Bournemouth, and if there was ever a year to get promoted, it is now.
We can’t afford not to have a third year. “We’ve seen clubs miss that boat and it sails away, and before you know it, they’re in and around the Championship for many years.
“We completed it, and then I got the blip. Could I have justified it? Yes, for sure. Bournemouth play four Premier League games.
The first game was against Aston Villa, which we won, and the rest were challenging contests. “But I lost my job and decided to travel to Brugge, and I was only there for ten weeks after relocating my family and making a significant commitment to what I believed would be a long trip.
“At that point, I took a breath. But I would have believed you if you had told me that in two years, you’d be promoted again.
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