"Very lucky" - Simon Jordan issues damning Scott Parker claim following Burnley appointment | OneFootball

Simon Jordan has given his reaction to Burnley appointing Scott Parker as their new head coach.

Former Crystal Palace owner and pundit Simon Jordan believes Scott Parker is lucky to have been appointed as Burnley's new head coach.

Parker was named as the new Burnley boss on Friday night after a lengthy search for a replacement for Vincent Kompany, who made a shock move to German giants Bayern Munich in May, despite failing to keep the club in the Premier League last season.

The likes of Frank Lampard, Liam Rosenior,Marti Cifuentes, Carlos Corberan, Alan Pardew, Steve Bruce, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Thierry Henry and Kasper Hjulmand had all been linked with the vacancy, while acting head coach Craig Bellamy is also believed to have been under consideration for the permanent job, but the Clarets have opted for Parker.

Parker has been out of work since being sacked by Club Brugge in March 2023 following a disappointing 67-day stint in Belgium, but he has a strong track record in the Championship having previously led Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion.

The 43-year-old has signed a three-year contract at Turf Moor, and he believes it is the perfect opportunity for him to get back into management.

"It’s been a very hectic run for me from my playing career to obviously managing, so I’ve been in the thick of it all. Certainly the rest I took has been very helpful," Parker told the Burnley Express.

"Moving onto this football club, it’s a fantastic opportunity for me personally to get back into the cutting edge of it.

"Where I see myself at this moment in time is with a real freshness to go on and get on with the job and to do what needs to be done."

Jordan: Scott Parker is lucky to get the Burnley job

Jordan believes that given the end of Parker's time at Bournemouth, where he was sacked after claiming that his squad were "under equipped" to compete in the Premier League, and his subsequent struggles at Club Brugge, he is fortunate to be given an opportunity by Burnley.

"He got himself fired, he signed his own resignation letter and quite rightly, whether some of the things he said had validity or not, he was fired," Jordan said on talkSPORT.

"You don't go up against the guy that you work for, do it in the public domain and do it persistently and consistently and think you're going to be rewarded by the person that employs you.

"So out he went to get a 16% win record at Brugge, which will do him a lot of good, and now he's back in at Burnley, an opportunity that no-one seemed to want to take.

"Whether that's because Alan Pace talks in riddles or whether it's because they didn't fancy the job, but it's a decent job. "They've got parachute payments, they've got the legacy of some decent performances 18 months ago inside that side and players coming back into it.

Scott Parker appointment is a gamble for Burnley

It is difficult to disagree with Jordan that the end of Parker's time at Bournemouth was disappointing, and his spell at Club Brugge was a disaster, but while he is a risky appointment by Burnley, he could prove to be a shrewd choice.

Parker may have found it tough in the Premier League, but he has achieved two promotions from the Championship with Fulham and Bournemouth, and he knows how to get the best out of a proven squad.

Burnley will have one of the strongest squads in the second tier next season, and although there are legitimate questions over how Parker would fare in the top flight, he could be the perfect man to deliver promotion for the Clarets.

Jordan is right that Parker is perhaps a little fortunate to get the job, and he certainly has a point to prove after a difficult few years, but it would be no surprise to see his side among the automatic promotion contenders next season.