It has been almost 18 months since Scott Parker last took charge of a competitive match but, on this evidence, the former England midfielder has certainly picked up a few managerial tips. A clinical display from his Burnley team against a Luton side that is also trying to bounce back from relegation sealed a deserved victory.
Parker’s previous managerial appointment ended up with him being sacked by Club Brugge after just 12 games in charge and has admitted that a chat with Thomas Tuchel during Bayern Munich’s mid-season training camp in Portugal last year helped to reinvigorate him. Stepping into Vincent Kompany’s shoes after he joined the German giants in May is certainly within his capabilities having led Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship and Parker was delighted that Burnley’s players appear to have bought into his philosophy immediately.
“The most important thing is us all getting on the same train,” he said. “This is a team that has been relegated, I have been in that situation and there is a psychological element to go from that to try and become a winning machine. There’s going to be lots of bumps in the road but the most important thing is that we stick together.”
With chief executive Gary Sweet having revealed in his programme notes that the capacity of the club’s planned new stadium – due to open in 2027 – has been extended from 17,000 to 25,000, Luton’s fortunes appeared to be on the up on a balmy evening in Bedfordshire. Aside from Ross Barkley, most of those who fought so valiantly for Premier League survival last season remain at the club, while – perhaps most importantly – they also managed to retain the services of their inspirational manager, Rob Edwards. He had described the selection of teenagers Joe Johnson and Zack Nelson in his first team of the season as “a celebration of our academy” in the absence of several first-team regulars but admitted that his side were second best against Burnley’s lightning-quick attackers.
“It’s a difficult first night – I’ve got to put emotions aside and look at the bigger picture,” he said. “But we showed some vulnerabilities and they punished us.”
Edwards also handed a first start to another teenager – Reuell Walters, who has joined on a free transfer from Arsenal. But the 19-year-old was left exposed by a perfectly weighted pass from new Burnley signing Lucas Pires in the sixth minute as Josh Brownhill raced through and beat Thomas Kaminski with a shot that went through his legs. Parker, who had to repeatedly push back his flowing locks as he prowled the touchline, has acknowledged that the bloated squad of 37 players he inherited from Kompany following their relegation last season will be “challenging”.
But his side were well organised in defence thanks to the calm presence of Maxime Estève and looked dangerous on the break through the energetic Luca Koleosho and Wilson Odobert as Luton struggled to mount a riposte. The home supporters’ mood was not improved when Odobert was allowed the freedom of Kenilworth Road to latch on to a long ball from Connor Roberts and make it 2-0. “Easy, easy, easy,” taunted the Burnley fans.
The hosts at least showed more intent at the start of the second half as a move started by a lovely pirouette at the back from Johnson ended with Tosin Adebayo’s header bouncing back off the crossbar and into the grateful James Trafford’s arms. But it needed a timely intervention from Johnson to block Vitinho’s shot after a brilliant run from Koleosho that earned Nelson a booking for pulling back the Italy Under-21 forward. Kaminski then came to Luton’s rescue with a brilliant one-handed save from Dara O’Shea’s piledriver following a corner.
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Two minutes later, Luton seemed to have found a way back into the game. Alfie Doughty’s clever cushioned header from Sheldon Baptiste’s deep cross picked out Tahith Chong and he could not miss from close range. But they continued to look vulnerable on the break and Pires managed to wriggle free at the other end following a corner and force Kaminski into a save.
The Brazilian was to provide the game’s crucial moment minutes later, however, when his corner was met by O’Shea at the near post and the Republic of Ireland defender made no mistake. A surging run through Luton’s midfield from Lyle Foster ended up with Vitinho curling home the fourth to round off the perfect start for Parker.
