Fulham have made Swansea boss Steve Cooper their number one target to replace Scott Parker at Craven Cottage, according to a report in the Sun tonight.
The tabloid claims that Parker will complete an expected move to Bournemouth this week having been involved in protracted negotiations with Fulham over the terms of his departure. The sticking point remains the compensation that the Cherries will pay for Parker’s services, with the former Fulham midfielder still having two years to run on his contract with the London club.
Fulham have provisionally put Cooper at the top of their shortlist as they consider replacements for Parker. His track record of developing young talent, both at Swansea and when in charge of the England under-17 side appeals to the Fulham hierarchy as does Cooper’s preference for attractive football.
Cooper’s stock has risen since taking the England under-17s to World Cup glory, with a squad that included Fulham academy graduate Steven Sessegnon, as he led Swansea to successive Championship play-offs in his first senior job. Fulham are confident they would be able to lure Cooper to London and can easily afford the £3.5m compensation that Swansea will insist upon.
The Sun also suggests that former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, who recently turned down the Celtic job, is also considered a leading candidate to succeed Parker.
I like the emphasis on Youth Development that Steve Cooper represents, working alongside FFC’s excellent Academy, this would appear to be a very good fit. Hopefully it can all be sorted quickly.
Letting Parker go is a monumental mistake.
It’s happening because he knows what’s required to break the promotion- relegation sequence and Tony Khan doesn’t.
I do want Parker to leave but I would prefer Eddie Howe as his replacement if those rumours are true. Cooper has done a good job at Swansea but they’re hardly world beaters. Taking England under 17s to glory was a great feat but it’s very different bossing a youth team. Eddie Howe is proven for promotion all the way through the leagues. He could be our best fit ( if he wants to come).
Any manager with the ability to look and learn then to think and the capacity to make a sound reasoned decision will not take our job. They must see that TK’s vanity is the problem preventing football nous leading recruitment decision making. Alas, the job is toxic.
Steve Cooper would be ideal for Tony Khan-a total yes man-we don’t want or need this. Daddy needs to tell Tony to stick to the wrestling. Eddie Howe would be great but could you imagine him been told before buying a player that he would have to pass a stats test designed by a Wally who runs a wrestling business!
Unfortunately we’re an embarrassment at the moment.