Rejuvenated Parker back in England fold

It's pretty simple Phil. Parker for the slow and ineffective Barry. Makes a world of difference.

Well Phil let's face it Garry Barry is useless anyone would be better. I wouldn't even want him for the Irish team and we have a Championship player in midfield.

Parker is like an old England midfielder, he can actually play football and read the game!

I am still astounded that he was not taken to South Africa and has merited his place in England's XI with some assured performances. Things are shaping nicely for England and Capello with lots of young talents honing themselves: Wellbeck, Sturridge, Cleverly, Jones, Smalling and Oxlade-Chamberlain are all excellent prospects with real talent. I think personally that many of these players will get a look in, in the upcoming friendlies, however tomorrow night is not about taking risks.

The main question really is who will play at right back, as Capello does not seem to rate Richards but also may be loath to use Walker who is great in an attacking capacity but less so defensively. The other question is will England stick with the dynamic 4-2-3-1 or go back to a more cautious 4-4-2. I think the first is more likely, but if Capello should chose to partner Rooney with another striker I think Zamora deserves another chance after his impressive previous cameo before his unfortunate injury.

Don't think phil actually writes very much here, but maybe he doesn't need to.

Parker seems to genuinely want to play well for England and I think he gives good balance to the side and does the things that the other midfielders don't want to.

Just wish someone had given him the opportunity to play with Gerrard or Lampard in the middle a few years ago. Might have made all the difference and given them the freedom to do what they were doing for their clubs

The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa
waiting for you to blast Parker, saying he is a pub player

@ 5

I wouldn't mind having him in my local pub side!

Good to see Parker finally getting the game time he deserves at this level.

Capello doesn't pick players on form, he picks them on which club they play for.

Fact.

@ 8

yeah he definitely does!! always just picks the United, chelsea and Man City players!! thats why Young made his debut as an Aston Villa player, downing was in the squad last year while playing for villa, Cahill the well known man united CB, Leighton baines is doing well at Man City, Zamora looks like a goal machine now he gets to work with drogba at chelsea.

How many others in the current squad that don't play for a top 4 team?!

Look at the facts before making poor comments

Always been a fan of Parker. A tidy, honest midfielder who has done well at every club he's played for. Shame about the side parting though...

@5 Seconded!

@4 Liverpaul85

He wasn't the same player he is now afew years ago so playing him with Gerrard and Lamps back then was never going to happen. It's not like those 2 never got a chance though what with Hargreaves and then Barry playing so that Gerrard and Lampard could try and reproduce their club form for England.

Back to Parker, some players just seem to peak later on in there careers and he seems to fall in that bracket. Remember Gearge Weah?
Even Franco Berasi got better with age.

That's not to say Parker hasn't, or maybe didn't, achieve anything in his career so far.
Far from it.
His biggest mistake was going to Chelsea. They only snapped him up because they didn't want Liverpool or Arsenal to have him. SWP made the same mistake.

Parker is basic. The English media have always had a love affair with the archetype basic, no frills boring English player.

Its a shame Frimpong didnt choose england. He is a better player overall. More dynamic, physically stronger, faster and YOUNG.

@8

Twelve months or so ago the whole country was moaning, post world cup that no English players are coming through at top 4 clubs and therefore not playing CL football. Now are we to moan that the England team is only made up by players from the top 4? What would you prefer???

Also Parker does the basic things well, isn't that what we need?

Parker would be a greatmplayer to play alongside.

"proof that even the single-minded Capello can be swayed by strength of character and performances."

You have a short memory Mr Mcnulty, remember Capello's childish reaction to Beckham anouncing he'd signed a contract to play in the US? He said Beckham would never play for Real Madrid again. Beckham put his head down, worked hard and helped them win the league. Cappello was man enough to accept he'd made a msitake and picked him.

@ 12

i think that given the chance Parker could have become international class far earlier, he struggled at chelsea mainly because of players like Makelele in his position.

I think if he had chosen somewhere else and was getting CL football we would have seen this kind of form much earlier in his career. I also feel that if he had been given the chance to develop we wouldn't have seen Lampard and Gerrard in Englands midfield together. It would have been Parker and EITHER Gerrard or Lampard and i think this would have resulted in us seeing much better performances from whichever player started.

@ 13
How can you claim that Frimpong is a better player than Scott Parker? He is a raw talent yes, but at the moment that is all he is. His sending off against Liverpool proved how naive he is. Pointlss challenge to make but because he is YOUNG he didn't have the experience to realise that he never needed to make the challenge.

Also, Scott Parker was the EPL Player of the year last year. Are you claiming that if Frimpong hadn't been out injured for most of the season he would have won it instead?

Frimpong could go on to be a fantastic player but at the moment all he has is the POTENTIAL to do it. Only time will tell if he will live up to that potential

Also, Parker has of course been playing in the best league in the world all his career.
That's not an easy thing to do. And at 30 he's still going.

@16 that's exactly the point I was making.

Chelsea was a mistake for him. A move to either Liverpool or Arsenal would have changed everything. I suppose that's the benefit of hindsight.

Also, Frimpong. Potential at the moment, nothing more.

@ 17

Not only is he still going at 30, he appears to be getting better. He surprises me how quick he is sometimes! For and "old guy" he appears to move well!

Makes me laugh when people moan that we have "no frills" players in our team. All the best teams in the world have them. Sergio Busquets for spain, De Jong for Holland, Mascherano for Argentina. Look at the great Arsenal side, they had Vieira. Makelele for chelsea a few years ago and now Essien (when fit).

but when the England national side has someone like Parker or Hargreaves they are "archetype basic, no frills boring English player." (According to Pastorgreek)

@ 18

I think Parker was just unlucky because he had a couple of good seasons and got a big offer from a club that had just been taken over by one the richest men in the world and I think he got caught up in the moment. If he had taken the time to look at who else the club had bought he may have decided that his opportunities would be limited and it wouldn't have been good for his development.

The other thing that didn't help was the fact that Lampard didn't miss a game for about 12 years or something so Parker had even less chance of getting in the side.

i cant believe people are slating the fact that Parker is a boring basic footballer. With the attacking threat we possess having someone like Parker who for me is not boring but disciplined enough to hold his position as holding midfielder giving the likes of Young Walcott Ashley Cole Gerrard(when fit again) to bomb forward to support Rooney in attack come on whats the alternative we go back to playing Gerrard and Lampard and stifle their game again as Barry isn't disciplined enough to hold and as for someone saying Frimpong that guy isn't good enough to lace Parkers boots yet. Yeah he's young yeah he's quick but also rash and likely to leave us playing with 10 men.

All this user's posts have been removed.Why?

@ 22

I don't think that Ozil would have outrun Parker as easily as he did Barry. Also Parker positional play is better than barry's so i don't think he would have been overun by the Germans. I think he would have been much the better option!

All this user's posts have been removed.Why?

With all this talk of the young talent coming through to England's football team not many are mentioning KELLY as a potential right-back. He has been a revelation for Kenny's Liverpool.

We need better players than Parker if we are to win anything.

Kelly will make right back before too long.

Parker is a hard working, no nonsense player who gets the job done and is probably a nice bloke, however in the PL at least he is no better than many players in his position, and he didn't really deserve player of the year. Yes he was West Hams best player, but their best player in a poor team, and it doesn't really fit if the player of the year is in a team that finishes rock bottom, and always looked likely to finish bottom. Cheick tiote from Newcastle for example is a similiar player to Parker but offers more than Parker, he can control a midfield better, break up attacks and is also a better tackler, but I'm sure the press didn't even consider tiote. And also, if I remember, both times when Newcastle played West Ham, a 2-1 win at Upton Park and 5-0 at St James' Park, Tiote completely controlled Parker, who was constantly in tiotes shadow during the games.

Phil, is the problem the personel, the style we play or the attitude of the players picked? Parker is a really good PL player, but that doesn't make him an international. We have seen this time and again over the years. Just look at the current crop, who wouldn't want John Terry (footballer not man) in their PL team? But he has never looked like a great international when push comes to shove. Don't judge players against Belgium, Andorra, Belarus, judge them against France, Germany, Brazil, Uraguay etc. It's okay picking the same old failures for these qualifiers against teams who won't get to a 1/4F, of course they will look compentant, but when the crunch matches arrive, they fall short.

Also, I would be interested on a blog about picking a team, a team of players that gell and have the right attitude. The last time we won anything, it was with a team and not the best individuals. That leads me back around to say that doesn't mean the likes of Parker wouldn't shine in a "team", a team that has been picked to perform together. If we were brave and took that path he would be the perfect fit.

Poster 19: Completely agree with you.

It seems fashionable to mercilessly slate gareth barry - often accused of being, well, useless.... but I think he did a similar job, he didnt give the ball away often and was good in the tackle and is a respected member of an all start man city team. I think, however, that he was more limited than Scotty Parker and I view his selection as a definite progression from Barry, but wouldnt put Barry down as much as others seem to like to.

I am a Villa fan so this might affect my impartiality....

Back to the original point, as #19 made, most of the best teams have this kind of player, you need to see the player within the context of the people around him, instead of saying "Busquets is a no frills defensive player", you look at it and say "Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta is a perfectly balanced midfield trio"

My team for england from midfield onwards (with all fit) would be:

Parker
Gerrard Lampard

Young Downing

Rooney

wow it got messed up when I posted it... but im sure you can all imagine the 4 - 3 - 3 formation.

@5
Third-ed!

Don't forget to mention - that if you disagree, he will then say you are brainwashed by skysports....and then include la liga somewhere down the line...

Now we had a blog on rio 'out' yesterday, Parker 'in' today...will tommorrow be about why sturridge wasn't involved?

Scott Parker Englands Deschamps?

More recycled rubbish about .....


YAWN.

Downing has show already this season that he is completely overrated. Useless against Spurs and Everton where a "bigger" occasion completely got the better of him. Johnson is miles better than him and needs to start on friday.

Hart
Walker Terry Jones Cole
Parker Lampard
Young Cleverley Johnson
Rooney

I think its good to see that Capello has realised you don't play the best 11 English players at your disposal but the players who are best for the job you require. There are a lot of players who aren't massively highly rated but could do a better job as a holding midfielder than Barry who tries to be to creative and doesn't work hard enough. You need a terrier for this position, someone who works hard and wins possession for 95 minutes. And that above all else is what Parker does.

@17 "Also, Parker has of course been playing in the best league in the world all his career."

Really? I thought he was playing in the EPL.

Phil McNulty

Fabio Capello may be pondering his selections in defence and attack, but one decision that should not be giving him a sleepless night is placing Parker in the centre of England’s new-look midfield.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weren't we led to believe that Parker was not selected to start against Wales because a yellow card would rule him out of tomorrow's game? If that is the case, does that mean that Capello see's Parker as primed to attract cards or does it mean that getting one point against Montenegro is harder than getting 3 against Wales?

On the subject of getting cards, would it be right to say that international refs are stricter than league refs? If there is a difference, why is that? Also, would clubs/players be better served in international and European matches if league refs were similarly strict?

I still can't believe that Parker wasn't selected for the world cup, yet another piece of evidence of the appalling capello. Instead our backup centre midfielder was michael carrick.

Pleased that Parker is currently getting his chance and hopefully he can keep hold of that place full time. Personally I think he'd allow the likes of Wilshere to really shine for England.

And then to another point in the article as further proof of Capello's randomness.
"Everton’s Phil Jagielka has been touted as a possible solution at right-back with Chris Smalling injured, but the 29-year-old has never looked comfortable in this position and struggled in the Wembley defeat against France last November"

WHAT?!?! Why play Jagielka - a centre back who has played the vast majority of the past 3-4 seasons as a centre back - at right back?? Why do this when Phil Jones - who has played several times at right back this season - is in the squad and whom Capello is considering playing at centre back. Surely if you're going to play them both you would pick Jagielka at centre back and Jones at right back, so both players are in familiar positions for a crucial qualifier?? Or why not pick Richards or Walker who are right backs at right back instead?? He surely can't consider doing this can he??!

@ 12, 16, 18, & 20.

When leaving the Valley, Parker should have gone directly to White Hart Lane instead of Stamford Bridge where his playing opportunities were vastly restricted due to the presence of those players at the time.

Sometimes ambition and fame blur the vision of reasoning and clear thinking. Parker’s case, unfortunately, is neither the first nor the last as other players fail to achieve respective playing potentials because of being at the wrong club.

Now Parker has limited number of playing years at international level and perhaps he could aim, at best, no further than the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and finals in Brazil, though we wish he could go on even beyond.

Parker got a chance (yes he should have had it a lot earlier) and he has taken it ! Fair play to him and at the moment he is first choice in Englands CM.

Barry is not the player he was a couple of seasons back and Lampard should have been put out to pasture long ago - yes he scored 3 at the weekend but that changes nothing, he is no longer good enough.

When Wiltshire is back he will play along side Parker. Its the lack of depth in the CM that worries me.

As for the right back slot.... we have 2 in the squad Richards and Walker. There both playing well at club level, play one of them ! Do not mess about with Jagielka out there it doesn't work and has been proven. I have never been a Glen Johnson fan, so now with Smalling, Richards and Walker coming through i expect him to drop down the pecking order.... but one of the young lads has to be given the chance.

One final thing, play Adam Johnson... I am a massive fan of this lad and IMO is a better player than Downing.

38.At 10:23 6th Oct 2011, MrBlueBurns wrote:
Phil McNulty

Fabio Capello may be pondering his selections in defence and attack, but one decision that should not be giving him a sleepless night is placing Parker in the centre of England’s new-look midfield.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weren't we led to believe that Parker was not selected to start against Wales because a yellow card would rule him out of tomorrow's game? If that is the case, does that mean that Capello see's Parker as primed to attract cards or does it mean that getting one point against Montenegro is harder than getting 3 against Wales?

On the subject of getting cards, would it be right to say that international refs are stricter than league refs? If there is a difference, why is that? Also, would clubs/players be better served in international and European matches if league refs were similarly strict?

-----------------------------------

Talk about deviation.

I would imagine that 99.9% of people would say that getting a point away in Montenegro is tougher than getting 3 at home to Wales.

Its not that simple to state that International/European refs are or aren't stricter than our league refs. Off the top of my head I would say that Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian refs for example are much less stricter on the count of all of the diving that goes on unpunished in their respective countries' leagues but then I would also argue that referees in other parts of Europe and the world are a lot stricter.

Lampard should have been put out to pasture long ago - yes he scored 3 at the weekend but that changes nothing, he is no longer good enough.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

So if league form 'changes nothing', how does anyone get selected for England? I don't think Lampard should be in team if all english midfielders are fit but he clearly still has something to offer.

In regards to right back, some parts of the press are reporting it'll be Terry and Jones centre back with Jagielka right back. Surely, if he's going with that combination of defenders it makes more sense for Jones to play right back? Jagielka is a solid defender but his attacking threat is negligible. Jones has been a beast at times coming forward, he ripped Bolton apart and did the same to Chelsea a few times.

You have to ask yourself if Parker is good enough for international football, why didn't he get opportunities to play when he was at Stamford Bridge? Does that mean that other countries have better midfielders that England?

The constant gushing over Parker is really boring. Just say he's a "good honest pro" - euphemism for he's not that great or interesting.

The constant gushing over Parker is really boring. Just say he's a "good honest pro" - euphemism for he's not that great or interesting.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Although interesting enough to make you comment on him.

45.At 10:44 6th Oct 2011, It wasnt me A big boy did it and ran away wrote:
You have to ask yourself if Parker is good enough for international football, why didn't he get opportunities to play when he was at Stamford Bridge? Does that mean that other countries have better midfielders that England?

---------------------------------

Perhaps it was because Chelsea were throwing money around left, right and centre and bought many other midfielders that were better. Why should a player be measured on how good he is on the ability to break into Chelsea's team? It's like saying Adam Johnson is rubbish because he can't get into the Man City team.

I like Parker as a player, no frills and can sit there and let others attack - He needs to play instead of Barry, I have never rated Barry, hes too slow, not a tackler or battler, not that great on the ball either. Prefer to see Rooney play up front with someone else,but not sure ones in the squad are up to it, I liked sturridge/Defoe in there, then Rooney can drop off and get more involved. I'd play Jones at right back. Hart,Jones,Cahill,Terry,Cole,Walcott,Lampard,Parker,Johnson,Young,Rooney.

#43 Pulpgrape

All is was getting at is that I think Capello has demonstrated, by Parker's omission from the starting line up against Wales, that he DOES have reservations about the likelihood of Parker keeping his nose clean for 90 minutes. I really just then went on to discuss if the perception that I have about Parker being more liable to pick up a yellow card (and any consequences that may bring) was a fair one and if it was, whether that is affected by different standards or refereeing.

#45. At 10:44 6th Oct 2011, It wasnt me A big boy did it and ran away wrote:

Because at that time, Makelele was a class apart. Makelele isn't around now, for example, so you're not really comparing like with like. (He's no Essien either for that matter, if that's a fair comparison.)

50.At 10:56 6th Oct 2011, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#43 Pulpgrape

All is was getting at is that I think Capello has demonstrated, by Parker's omission from the starting line up against Wales, that he DOES have reservations about the likelihood of Parker keeping his nose clean for 90 minutes. I really just then went on to discuss if the perception that I have about Parker being more liable to pick up a yellow card (and any consequences that may bring) was a fair one and if it was, whether that is affected by different standards or refereeing.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Fair enough, I dont think its anything to do with Capello thinking Parker was certain to get a yellow in the Wales game, just the fact that Parker has been in form and is the type of player you would want in a game away from home where you need a point. I'm sure if we needed 3 points on Friday and Rooney had been on a yellow, he would of been omitted from the Wales game. Tactics.

Good player but his lack of international chances up until now is nobodies fault but his own.

He has always had the talent but has not managed to get his game together until the past 2-3 seasons.

@45 Big boy

Maybe because he wasn't good enough then (2004-05) but is now. (2011)
Players can improve, ya know? That was 6 years ago.

The best league in the world, the EPL, does that to players.
Makes them better.

It`s been criminal why Scot Parker has been overlooked for so long. I`m pleased he`s got the chance now

Should wayne rooney be playing???????

#55 dur1

Don't worry, if anything goes wrong for him, no doubt Ferguson will give us the 'benefit' of his views!

If Scott Parker is good enough for international football then England are in desperate trouble. He is THE most overrated player in the Premiership. Fact.

Rafa, is that you ?

It shows just the depths that the England team has plumbed, when the England fans - parroting what Sky and the red tops tell them - are acclaiming a journeyman pro like Parker, as if he's Lionel Messi.

I imagine the England fans cast many a jealous eye at Spain and all the seriously good players who just can't get into their team because practically every position is filled by a world class player.

Oh well, never mind, eh? :D

i persoanlly would love to see a england team in euro 2012(provided they are there) consisting of

----------hart----------
richards-jones-cahill-cole
----gerrard--whilshere---
--------cleverly---------
young-----------downing
--------rooney----------

that team has pace, creativity and imo could be very solid at the back, they would be a match for most in europe, a team with, terry, ferdinand, lamps, barry etc against the like of holland, spain etc would get overun

No 55.....Reason i asked that was i think rooney unbalances the side. b4 im blasted for that ill explain. W.R seems to have this desire to constantly drop deep into midfield,leaving a gaping hole behind him and leaving his strike partner isolated so when we do get decent ball we suddenly have no where to go with it. We all know his frustrations when things are not going well but by dropping deeper and deeper to get involved he is adding to the problem.Rooney needs to let those in the midfield to do the job rather then him trying to do everybodys job and causing a unbalanced side. Think capello needs to outline the areas he wants wayne to play in or come up with a system that works for rooney,cause i feel at this moment he is becoming inafective against the best teams.

are acclaiming a journeyman pro like Parker, as if he's Lionel Messi.

------------------------------------------------------------

Lets hope not, because Messi's impact at international level is on a par with Ade Akinbiyi.

#57 1accorbeau

Doesn't matter who rates him as what, if he's the best man we have for the job, then he gets it, surely? And if you don't think Parker should play, who do you suggest instead?

#59 The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa

Speaking of parroting, I see your back with your raison d'etre again today?!

Firstly, I think you are the only person that has drawn any parallel between Parker and Messi. Think that probably highlights the absurdity of the points you make.

Secondly, who's a pretty boy then!
It shows just the depths that the England team has plumbed, when the England fans - parroting what Sky and the red tops tell them - are acclaiming

Should wayne rooney be playing???????


nah it should one of the other english strikers that has scored goals for fun this year? carroll? defoe? bent?, on goalscoring form the 4 english strikers should be rooney, agbonlahor, a johnson and 1 of wellbeck/leon best, but we know thats never going to happen

@60
I would prefer a 4-4-2 formation with downing not in it, personally I feel Rooney should not be the main striker, it restricts his movement as often he gets 2-3 defenders on him. On the other hand Parker might not the best in terms of all the fancy things but he is disciplined and has the desire to win. For me its not the best players which win games but the best team, If he fits well in the formation then he should play.

62. At 12:08 6th Oct 2011, We all follow United wrote:

Lets hope not, because Messi's impact at international level is on a par with Ade Akinbiyi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't remember Ade Akinbiyi scoring 17 international goals, winning 62 caps, and helping his country to an Olympic Gold Medal, two World Cup quarter-finals and one Copa America final.

Oh well, better luck next time, We all follow United [from our sofa in Surrey]...

63. At 12:11 6th Oct 2011, MrBlueBurns wrote:

I think you are the only person that has drawn any parallel between Parker and Messi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was clearly hyperbole. In the same way as people use ''Real Madrid'' as a rhetorical example for best and most successful team in the world, as in ''they string a couple of wins together and now their fans think they're Real Madrid''.

The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa wrote:

who do u actually support/follow? the spanish league? the barce team? the argentine team? every comment u make on here is bashing the english league/players/team, you have some serious issues

I don't remember Ade Akinbiyi scoring 17 international goals, winning 62 caps, and helping his country to an Olympic Gold Medal, two World Cup quarter-finals and one Copa America final.

for someone proclaimed to be the best player ever, its not the best international record at all, olympic gold medals are equivelent to under 21 trophies, and evan the awfull england have made wc qf's over the last decade(cant be that great then)

#66 The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa

62. At 12:08 6th Oct 2011, We all follow United wrote:

Lets hope not, because Messi's impact at international level is on a par with Ade Akinbiyi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't remember Ade Akinbiyi scoring 17 international goals, winning 62 caps, and helping his country to an Olympic Gold Medal, two World Cup quarter-finals and one Copa America final.

Oh well, better luck next time, We all follow United [from our sofa in Surrey]...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was clearly hyperbole. In the same way as people use ''Messi'' as a rhetorical example for best and most successful player in the world, as in ''they string a couple of achievement together and now his fans thinks he's Messi''.

68. At 12:15 6th Oct 2011, united_kaz wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's irrelevant who I support, but it's not Real Madrid or Barcelona.

I offer a clinical, objective and impartial analysis of football, free from the Sky Sports and tabloid propaganda which most fans are so eager to swallow. If, in the process, I am critical of the English game and praise Spanish football, then that is merely coincidence.

I don't remember Ade Akinbiyi scoring 17 international goals, winning 62 caps, and helping his country to an Olympic Gold Medal, two World Cup quarter-finals and one Copa America final.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

So basically Messi has won nothing at international level. The same as the England players that you repeatedly slate.

No 64.....Of course he has to play, but he does need to stop trying to do it all himself, stay up top and let the boss sort out the rest if the service isn,t coming. If we aint scored a goal after 60 mins i don,t suddenly see gerrard playing centre forward trying to do it for them. Waynes world is up front stay there and do what he does best.

69. At 12:18 6th Oct 2011, united_kaz wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, it's not reasonable to use someone's international achievements to criticise them, as not everyone plays for a good team, or the team they play for is poorly managed (like Argentina in 2010).

Is Mark Paston (the ex-Bradford and Walsall goalkeeper who played for New Zealand in the World Cup) a better player than Ryan Giggs (who never played in a World Cup, because Wales are a pub team)?

I would think not, and I don't think it would be fair to judge Giggs on his poor international record.

72. At 12:26 6th Oct 2011, We all follow United wrote:

So basically Messi has won nothing at international level. The same as the England players that you repeatedly slate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Again, this is just a stupid argument. Unless they're Italian, Spanish, French or Greek, then no current European player has ''won anything at international level''.

Unless they're Brazilian, Uruguayan or Colombian, then no current South American player has ''won anything''.

By your logic, the entire England, German and Dutch team are equally as ''successful'' at international level as San Marino and the Faroe Islands.

Good player and hopefully he will get the plaudits he deserves now he's playing regularly for a good side but surely he is just a very short term solution to England's defensive midfield problem. Or are there some young players out there that I'm forgetting?

What international record????? Giggs never turned up most of the time.....

I'm so bitter that Liverpool didn't sign him and Tottenham got their man.

Absolute fools...

Again, this is just a stupid argument. Unless they're Italian, Spanish, French or Greek, then no current European player has ''won anything at international level''.

Unless they're Brazilian, Uruguayan or Colombian, then no current South American player has ''won anything''.

By your logic, the entire England, German and Dutch team are equally as ''successful'' at international level as San Marino and the Faroe Islands.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's not what I said at all. What I was obviously getting at is it was stupid to attempt to slate Scott Parker by comparing him to A) a striker and B) a striker who's own international record is poor.

79. At 12:42 6th Oct 2011, We all follow United [from our armchairs in Surrey] wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, but it's already been established that I used Lionel Messi's name hyperbolically.

If it makes you happy, I shall amend my comment:

''are acclaiming a journeyman pro like Parker, as if he's Andres Iniesta, Xavi or Cesc.''

Better now? ;)

The blog is about Parker but you find some individuals who no-matter what the blog topic is they cant help but mention how good Spain, Barcelona and Messi are. Stick to the topic in discussion please

81. At 12:50 6th Oct 2011, United_Again_I_Say_United wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Again, the Messi issue is only because some people refused to see that I was using his name as hyperbole, and were only too eager to stick the boot in on a model pro and gent like Lionel - which shows their true colours.

I should have just said Pelé, or Diego Maradona (but I know that's a bit of a sore point for England fans, after he did a prototype ''Paul Scholes'', as its known).

In any case, the 20 or so wasted posts surrounding Messi were just a diversion from the inarguable ''journeyman pro'' epithet which I bestowed upon Scotty Parker.

'The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa' and '20 or so wasted posts'.

Phrases that seem as well suited to each as peas and carrots, gin and tonic and bacon and eggs!

Speaking of which....

Parker is a descent pro but the fact that he gets into the England squad just goes to show the dearth of talent around. He couldn’t cut it at Chelsea. Why is England unable to produce any good players at the moment?

Would he make it into any other descent European national team? I couldn’t see him getting a game for Holland, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy and as for Spain, lets not even go there.

* decent (sorry about that)

84. At 13:03 6th Oct 2011, MrBlueBurns wrote:
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My posts weren't wasted. It was the people who launched malicious attacks on Lionel, who is a model pro and a gent, which were wasted.

I would have thought it was obvious that I wasn't literally comparing Parker and Messi, but simply highlighting the ridiculous, ''trendy'' hype surrounding Parker's limited abilities, which the English fans have lapped up from Sky Sports and the gutter tabloids.

Enjoy your peas, carrots, gin and tonic and bacon and eggs, MrBlueBurns. In fact, judging from your posts so far, I'd say that you've already enjoyed a few G&Ts. :D

74.At 12:28 6th Oct 2011, The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa wrote:
69. At 12:18 6th Oct 2011, united_kaz wrote:
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As always, it's not reasonable to use someone's international achievements to criticise them,


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but then u use the same international achievments to praise him?

Every team needs the so called water carrier and parker at the moment fits the bill,mobile and tidy and put his foot in when needed.Why gareth Barry keeps getting involved is a mystery to me???? Parker does all what he does but better and can at least run without looking like he has lead wieghts in his boots...

At the end of the day Scott Parker is currently the best midfield player England have for the deeper lying role that international football requires you to have these days. There no point in saying whether not he would get into any of these other national teams its whether he is the best option for us. I expect you can find a few players in most squads (minus probably Spain atm) that wouldnt get into another 'top' national side. Parker's better than Barry, who is pretty average in my opinion and no one else springs to mind who could come in and make that position there own. Ive heard people mention Hargreaves (he will need a miraculous return to fitness and form), Wiltshire when fit (dont believe the role suits him) and Rodwell (still inexperienced and yet to show his full potential) as potential suitors to the position but as it stands Scott Parker is rightly the man for the role and most likely will be up untill the end of Euro 2012

No 90....Well said,at last some1 who can see what parker gives u. Telling u now Jack Rodwell to my dissapointment is going to drift out of contention for Everton let alone England all the signs are there already that he will fail to fufill his potiental.Maybe still young but given the Everton situation with finances he still struggles to get the nod from D.M on a regular bases.

@90

Good point. Totally agree.
A this moment in time he is the man for the job.

I like your point about Rodwell.
Bags of potential and with a couple of more years experience under his belt playing in the EPL, the best league in the world, could make him a world class player.
Or even a move to, say Man Utd, the 2 nd best team in the world at the moment, could improve him as well.

, Jaap_Stam_Is_Bigger_Than_Your_Ground

well said i mean i dnt know who the spain lb is but just because he wouldnt get into the england team doesnt mean hes rubbish, parker is a decent play, not everyone is going to be a superstar for ur team

@90 “At the end of the day Scott Parker is currently the best midfield player England have for the deeper lying role that international football requires you to have these days.”

That is a really sad state of affairs.

@92 “the EPL, the best league in the world”

Makes me laugh every time.

I couldn’t see him getting a game for Holland, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy and as for Spain, lets not even go there.

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And quite a few of their players wouldn't get in England's team. What's your point?

88. At 13:13 6th Oct 2011, united_kaz wrote:

but then u use the same international achievments to praise him?
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No, I wasn't praising him by mentioning his international record. Just pointing out that it isn't as bad as some of the haters try to make it out to be.

95. At 13:36 6th Oct 2011, We all follow United [from a pub in Northern Ireland] wrote:

And quite a few of their players wouldn't get in England's team. What's your point?
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Which players from those countries couldn't get in to the England team?

I can only see the left-back position where England are stronger than anyone, bar Portugal.

94. At 13:36 6th Oct 2011, It wasnt me A big boy did it and ran away wrote:

@92 “the EPL, the best league in the world”

Makes me laugh every time.
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You're not the only one. Some of these posters are wasted on these blogs, when they could launch a career on Comedy Central.

No..95...Don,t see the relevance of if Parker would get games for the mentioned countries???? If u went through the teams u have quoted im sure there are players in their sides that wouldnt get games for England. Anyway what is the obsession with the rest of Europe today, Have we joined the Euro all of a sudden.....

No, I wasn't praising him by mentioning his international record. Just pointing out that it isn't as bad as some of the haters try to make it out to be.


no dont try run away from what you meant, the only reason u mentioned his international record was for everyone to take notice of what hes done on the international stage, which again isant much(i think crouch has similar amount of goals in fewer games!)

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I couldn’t see him getting a game for Holland, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy and as for Spain, lets not even go there.

again so silly, how many of the dutch defenders would get into the england 11, which german or french attacker would displace rooney? how many central midfielders do portugal have who would get ahead of whilshere in a starting 11