‘Twelve out of thirty is not enough’: Scott Parker comes under further pressure after loss to Oostende

Speaking after their 3-0 defeat to relegation threatened Oostende, Club Brugge’s English head coach Scott Parker was under no illusions that such a result puts him under pressure. As reported by Het Nieuwsblad, Parker said ‘Twelve out of thirty is not enough’ in reference to the amount of points his side have picked up since his appointment in January.

It is expected that Parker will be in charge for Club’s upcoming Champions League game against Benfica. The defending Belgian champions go into the game 2-0 down on aggregate. Despite the poor run of form, Parker still believes he is the man to turn things around. ‘I still believe I can turn the tide. This is a challenge. A battle ahead of me. These are moments where we have to stand up as a team.’.

What will have disappointed the Englishman the most was that last weekend, against fellow play-off one chasing Gent, Club Brugge put in a positive performance as they won 2-0. Despite some controversy during the game involving Tajon Buchanan, Parker’s side arguably played their best football with plenty of intensity.

Given their slim chances of beating a strong Benfica side in Portugal, it is unlikely that a poor result in Lisbon will see Parker sacked. However, the club are clearly getting anxious with their precarious position in play-off one. Making the top four guarantees a chance at European football, something that a side like Club Brugge expects as a minimum. Challenging for the title is where fans and the board believe they should be, but even before Parker joined the title race was slipping away. With just 12 points in 30, their chances of defending their crown have certainly gone.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

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