Fulham caretaker manager Scott Parker says he is more focused on improving his relegated team than trying to get the job on a permanent basis.
Parker has been in charge for five games since being appointed until the end of the season following Claudio Ranieri’s departure at the end of February.
But he has been unable to save Fulham from relegation, which was confirmed following the 4-1 defeat at Watford on April 2.
Parker says he already has one eye on the Cottagers’ return to the Championship next season and matters on the pitch remain his immediate priority.
“I’ve stated before that I am not focusing on myself,” he said.
“When I got given the role of caretaker I understood and realised the problems.
I saw the issues and I understood them and I wanted to improve things.
I understood and realised the problems.
“[My future] is not something at the forefront of my mind.
“The most important thing for me is sending out a team which people can look at and see an organisation and a belief and hopefully from that we can get some results.
Personally that’s the most important thing for me at this moment in time.
Parker was asked whether he has sat down with the club’s owner Shahid Khan to discuss his future: “I’m in constant discussion with the owner about how we can improve things and how the club can improve.”
“I take this role with a view of it in the long term whether I’m the manager here next year or not.
That’s the person I am, that’s the way it’s going to be.
“Of course I can give over all of my ideas over the course of the next five games, to have that constant dialogue which I want to do because I want to help.
“But I have certainly not been speaking on the level of ‘am I your guy?’.
That’s because I’m just focusing on the team and the football club and trying to improve us.
“It’s something which is ultimately down to the ownership in terms of who they think is the right person to lead this football club.
“I can’t sit here and say it needs to be here, it needs to be there.
It’s irrelevant to me.
“My main focus is whether I can send out a team on Saturday [against Everton] in which I have 100 per cent faith that they are going to give us everything, they’re going to be organised, well structured and go into that game trying to get a result.
“I can’t focus on whether I’m going to get the job, who I’m going to sign next year if I do get it.
“It’s tough enough as it is trying to prepare a team to play in the best league in the world and if that was part of my focus as well it would be pretty difficult.”
