AFC Bournemouth boss Scott Parker speaks to Nerve Sport ahead Thursday night's clash with Cardiff City
Scott Parker insists his Bournemouth side “need to get back to basics” after beating QPR on Monday having come through a run of six games without a win.
Victory over fellow promotion rivals QPR was a huge result for Parker’s side as it propelled them back to the top of the Championship and also ended their poor run of form with the head coach revealing he needed his player’s to “stand up” amid the adversity they faced.
“We got a good result against QPR which was needed and the players needed to stand up and there was a real question mark in terms of what I was asking from them,” Parker told NERVE SPORT.
“We need to go back to basics now, we need to be committed to the basics of the game and need to earn the right first and foremost and the players did that as well.”
Before Monday night, the Cherries had not won since a 4-0 victory at Vitality Stadium against Swansea in early November and the Bournemouth head coach believes the adversity his side has faced has helped him to learn more about his players.
“Yeah, I think I’m getting to know them (the players) better and better of course I am," he added.
“We’ve reacted the right way in games and at moments definitely and that was a box ticked. This last period we have gone into, we have come out the end of it, now we have another tough game against Cardiff.”
Parker maintained his unwavering faith in his squad but suggested that the pressure of pushing for top spot in a highly competitive league was tough for his young squad but is "delighted" how they have risen to the challenge.
The head coach added: “I don’t doubt this team, I doubt certain moments because of the inexperience in the team.
“The players are not used to certain things that may arise or psychological elements of this division and where we are, but as a group of players they are a real honest bunch - so I am delighted with them in that sense.
“There are more bumps to come for sure and what will define our season is how we react and how come out of those bumps, but hopefully we can take that positive result from Monday in to Thursday and move from there really
Parker knows all too well how things can change quickly - especially in the Championship. With the likes of Fulham, West Brom and Blackburn all within touching distance of the league leaders, Parker remained cautious when quizzed on his team’s chances of promotion.
“This league can change very quickly, it can change from one week to the next,” Parker explained.
“That is the dynamics of it, that is the level of competition in it.
He added: “We have positioned ourselves pretty well and I’ d like to be in this position come the end of the season and I think that is when I will be very concrete in my answer to you but until then there is a long way to go.”
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