Fulham captain Scott Parker will be used sparingly when he finally returns to the Fulham first team, says Kit Symons.
The veteran midfielder has been sidelined since April with a persistent ankle problem and has had an extra injection to get him closer to full fitness. Parker returned to action with a 3-0 defeat for Fulham’s under 21s at Derby on Monday, but manager Kit Symons is unsure whether a return against first club Charlton on Sunday will be wise at this point.
The Fulham boss spoke more broadly about his strategy for handling Parker’s workload across the remainder of the season.
“I’m very conscious of where Scotty is in his career, his fitness levels and his age – there’s no getting away from it. I’ve had several lengthy discussions with Scott about this, and we’ll work on his own programme and what’s right for him. When he’s fit and available he’s a very influential player, but we need to be realistic in acknowledging he won’t play every game in what is a tough Championship season.”
