Scott Parker sacked by Club Brugge after just 67 days following heavy Benfica Champions League defeat

Scott Parker has been sacked by Club Brugge as manager, the Belgian club confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.

Parker was in charge for just 12 games after being appointed on New Year’s Eve. His spell at the club was just 67 days.

The former England international succeeded Carl Hoefkens, with the team fourth in the league and 12 points off the top of the table.

A brief club statement read: “Scott Parker is no longer head coach of Club Brugge. Parker was announced as the new head coach of Club Brugge on December 31 last year.

“The English ex-international previously worked for Fulham and Bournemouth and replaced Carl Hoefkens at the club. In 12 games, the Briton could only win 2 times.”

At the time of Parker’s sacking, the club remained in fourth place but are now 21 points behind Genk, top of the Belgian Pro League. They have won just one of their last five games in the league.

Parker’s last game in charge was against Benfica in the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday evening in Portugal. Brugge lost heavily 5-1 on the night, and 7-1 on aggregate, leaving them out of the running for their two major trophy targets of the season.

Last Friday, they suffered a 3-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Oostende.

Parker had left his previous side Bournemouth on August 30 after a disagreement with the board over their transfer strategy, having returned the side to the Premier League for the second time.

Before then Parker had managed Fulham, overseeing both promotion from – and relegation to – the Championship.

As a player, Parker spent time at clubs including Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham, Tottenham and Fulham.