VIDEO: Parker targets win
By Nicholas Veevers
Wednesday, 05 October, 2011
Midfielder says qualification for Euros will be a 'great honour'.
Scott Parker
says England are thinking only of collecting three points on Friday to secure their spot in next summer’s European Championship Finals.
The Three Lions head to Podgorica knowing a draw with Montenegro will be enough to confirm their place in Poland and Ukraine but the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder believes it’s in England’s best interests to attack their hosts, a tactic which has served them well on the road throughout the qualifying campaign.
“We have a very attacking team and the front players are very quick so when you go away from home and teams come at you a bit more, it gives us the opportunity to hit them on the break,” said Parker.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a massive factor in how we play away from home and it seems to have worked for us. Teams come to Wembley and sit behind the ball which makes it harder for us to break them down.
“But whenever we go out there to play for England, we want three points. I don’t think that situation is ever any different so we’re going there to win the game and qualify for the Championships.”
Parker has been a regular in Fabio Capello’s line-up this year following his form for both West Ham United and Spurs and now he is hoping that can continue on Friday and beyond.
He narrowly missed out on being picked for the squad which travelled to South Africa for the World Cup last summer, but put that behind him to play his way into Capello’s thoughts and he now wants to get a taste of a major Final experience for the first time in his career.
“It’ll be massive for me if we qualify,” he admitted.
“It’s a great honour for me to represent my country and to get us to the Championships will be brilliant,
“It will be a very proud moment, as I’m sure it will be for everyone in the squad, if we qualify on Friday.”
The group fly out to Montenegro on Thursday morning, so preparations continue until then with the team and Parker is certain that everyone will be in good shape by the time kick-off comes on Friday evening.
“We’ve only been together for a day or so now, but I’m sure over the course of the week, the Manager will be preparing us as well as he can for Friday’s game,” he added.
“If there’s something he needs to address, I’m sure he will, but from the players’ side of it, we all know about the job in hand.
“We will prepare as well as we can to go there on Friday and win the game.”