Player Thursday: A Real Fighter, Scott Parker

Image via Zimbio/GettyImages

There are many reasons for us, football fan, to like a player. It can be as simple as he scored the winning goal of an important game; or he has good skills; he plays beautiful football; he is nice; he doesn’t play aggressively, and so on. But it is very hard for me, to admire a player. Scott Parker, is one of the rare.

Especially for a Hammer fan, although he left the club, it is just impossible for us to forget what he had done last season. He was important to the team, long before last season, but last season was the time when he really shined through and people started to notice him. I know some people were mad at him when he left for Tottenham, my guess is, he insists to stay in London probably because of family and there’re really not many choices left.

People who have seen him play would probably remember him as a tough player, a strong player who is not afraid to tackle and to be tackled as well. For those who have watched the Spain-England game, don’t tell me you are not impressed by his performance. Scott Parker was everywhere that day, working hard to stop Spain’s attacks. But he is a lot more than just tough and hard working.

We see good players all the time. What makes me admire and respect Parker so much, is his fighting spirit. He is a true fighter, someone who just does not give up without a fight!

Parker was the one who was badly injured and couldn’t even move before the Liverpool game last season, but in the end, he played, scored a goal, and won the game for West Ham. In a post-match interview, all he said was “The injury was nothing.”

Parker was also the person who give an inspiring speech during half time while they were 3-0 down against West Brom last season. The game ended with 3-3, West Ham made their best comeback of the season. Carlton Cole said in an interview that “It was inspirational I must say. If you were in there (changing room), you would have had a tear in your eye, I had a tear in my eye.”

Parker, again, is the one who chose to play 90 minutes full, after his father just passed away. Just because he knew the team needed him. We all know he deserved better than West Ham but throughout the season he never speak a word about leaving the team. After he actually left the relegated West Ham for Tottenham, I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him, because he was the ONLY one, who had done all he could to help the team. He had always given 200% on the pitch, hoping to help West Ham stay in the Premier League. It failed, but he shouldn’t be the one to blame.

Scott Parker just doesn’t give up. Blood and pain (as shown in the image above) cannot stop him from fighting. He is as tough as that.