Club Brugge appoint former Fulham and Bournemouth coach Scott Parker to manage Champions League campaign

Scott Parker’s most recent match as a manager was Bournemouth’s 9-0 humiliation at the hands of Liverpool. His next will be a top of the table clash between Club Brugge and Belgian league leaders Genk.

Brugge dismissed manager Carl Hoefkens midweek following a disappointing 1-1 draw with Oud-Heverlee Leuven.

Parker had been rumoured as a candidate to replace Hoefkens, but his appointment still comes as something of a surprise.

Hoefkens guided Brugge to a second place finish in their Champions League group, earning a round of 16 meeting with Portuguese giants Benfica.

It will now be Parker who takes charge of that clash, but not before righting the ship in domestic football.

The reigning Belgian champions are 12 points off the pace in defence of their title and suffered a humiliating Belgian Cup exit at the hands of Sint-Truidense V.V. last weekend.

Parker becomes the first English manager in the club’s history.

While Brugge have struggled domestically this season, they retain a strong squad including Danish World Cup duo Andreas Skov Olsen and Casper Nielsen, and Parker’s former Fulham team-mate and player Denis Odoi.

The former England manager has eight days until his first match, the vital clash with Genk.

Parker enjoyed a productive Premier League career with Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham, and Tottenham before finishing his career with Fulham in the Championship. It was there that the former England manager took his first true steps in management, having briefly coached in Tottenham’s development setup.

He guided the Cottagers to promotion but also oversaw two relegations in his 105-game reign.

After leaving Fulham in 2021, he switched straight to Bournemouth where he masterminded another successful promotion campaign. However, upon returning to the Premier League, the Cherries did not make the necessary investments, and Parker went public with his criticisms which ultimately cost him his job.

He had been rumoured as a candidate for numerous roles, including the recently vacated managerial seat at Norwich, but his promotion to a Champions League club comes as a surprise.