Bournemouth have announced they have sacked manager Scott Parker just three days after they were bludgeoned 9-0 by Liverpool, and accused him of showing a lack of respect towards the club.
Parker had been vocal about his frustrations with Bournemouth’s activity in the transfer market this summer, insisting his young team are ‘under-equipped’ to take on the challenges of the Premier League.
The club meanwhile are siting 17th in the Premier League table, with the horrific 9-0 thrashing by the Reds right on the heels of 3-0 and 4-0 reverses by Arsenal and Man City after their opening weekend win against Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
The ex-Fulham boss had been disgruntled after the humiliation at Anfield and complained there were ‘millions of reasons’ why the squad had not been strengthened to his liking.
And now that seething frustration leading to tensions with the club’s owner and management has boiled over with the 41-year-old leaving the Vitality Stadium and becoming the first top-flight managerial casualty of the new campaign just four games in.
Bournemouth owner Maxim Demin however was gracious in his comments: ‘I would like to place on record my gratitude to Scott and his team for their efforts during their time with us.
‘Our promotion back to the Premier League last season under his tenure will always be remembered as one of the most successful seasons in our history.
‘However, in order for us to keep progressing as a team and a club as a whole, it is unconditional that we are aligned in our strategy to run the club sustainably. We must also show belief in and respect for one another.
‘That is the approach that has brought this club so much success in recent history, and one that we will not veer from now. Our search for a new head coach will begin immediately.’
Gary O’Neil – who was part of Parker’s backroom staff – has taken interim charge and will be assisted by Shaun Cooper and Tommy Elphick as they gear up for the visit of Wolves coming up next for them on Wednesday night.
Parker took charge at Bournemouth last summer after leaving Fulham, who had just been relegated to the Championship. To his credit, the former midfielder then guided Bournemouth back into the top flight following a two-year absence in his first season, finishing second in the Championship table behind the Whites.
Having become now the first August sacking since Sir Bobby Robson in 2004, Parker departs having experienced what he described as the worst day of his career at Anfield on Saturday.
In his final post-match press conference as Cherries boss, he said: ‘It is pretty shell-shocking in terms of the result. The quality (of Liverpool) was far greater in terms of what we have. We can’t be making an excuse.
‘There were some goals that were of our own doing. Some of the set-play goals were really poor, I feel sorry for the fans, sorry for the players.
‘We are just a bit under-equipped from where we have come from. It doesn’t shine a light for me because from the summer that is exactly how I see it.
‘There are players in this team of huge quality but the levels of what they have gone up to, it is the first time they are experiencing this league.
‘We are where we are. While I never thought we could come here and get beat 9-0, I expected this season would be a real challenge for us in certain moments and games. It is a young team at this level.’
Parker added: ‘This is the toughest day I have had, as a player and certainly as a coach. This is the toughest day I have experienced for sure. The touchline today was pretty painful and I could sense it was painful for the players as well. They need some help.’