Bradford City v Sheffield Wednesday: City’s potential persuaded Parkinson to end his exile

The former Hull City and Charlton manager has spent his time away from management as a scout for Premier League side Arsenal covering the Yorkshire region.

Finding players to fill the boots of departed Gunners Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri is nigh on impossible, so taking charge of ambitious League Two side Bradford could be seen in some quarters as a little less demanding.

But the 43-year-old manager only has to pop into his local pub, near his West Yorkshire home, or chat with his City-supporting friends to know the pressure for results is just the same at Valley Parade as at the Emirates.

“I have got a few friends who live locally who support Bradford, which is interesting,” mused Parkinson. “It puts me under a little extra pressure. I am well aware of the size of the club and its history. I am looking forward to producing a team they can be proud of.

“I have been working on the recruitment side for Arsenal, covering the Yorkshire area for them.

“That’s been good and it’s so important when you are out of the game that you watch matches, monitor players. You keep up your knowledge of players at all levels and that’s what I have been doing.”

Since leaving Charlton in January, Parkinson had had several job offers but his track record means he could afford to wait until the right club came along.

“I had one or two offers initially when I left Charlton and one closer to the end of the season, but for me it had to be the right opportunity and one with the potential to go forward,” he said.

I think this is the perfect club and I am really relishing it.

“The club has been under-performing for a number of years and there’s reasons for that, but all I can say is when I met the chairman, the structure they have put in place to take the club forward, the foundations, is very positive. It’s up to me now to build on that and move forward.”

Parkinson was on a shortlist of three interviewed to replace Peter Jackson, who quit last Thursday. He impressed joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes and agreed to join City on Sunday.

He has already watched City DVDs from this season, and points to Bradford’s impressive performance in pushing Championship side Leeds United all the way in the Carling Cup this month as proof that the current squad has potential to challenge for promotion this season.

“Against Leeds it was a good performance and showed the potential in the team,” he said.

“However, they need to produce those performances consistently. There are some young players in the team, some new to English football, and as time goes on they will adapt to the pace of English football.

“If we can get up the table, in the top half by January, then you never know we might be able to improve the squad again. It all depends if the support can see an improvement and more people come through the turnstiles. That generates money. Hopefully we can be in a challenging position.”

Parkinson learned his trade at Colchester United before rising up the managerial ladder.

Joint-chairman Lawn said they held interviews on Friday and Saturday and were impressed by Parkinson’s qualities.

“He was our No 1 choice and we have got the man that we wanted,” said Lawn. “Phil is well-recommended by the footballing fraternity, an intelligent, hard-working man.

“We were very eager to interview him and he was very keen to take the opportunity.

“It’s a win-win for both of us. We interviewed three. They weren’t very long interviews to be honest because we knew what we were asking. We have gone through this process too many times.

“Phil has a two-year contract. If you take the record since I have been here, we had Stuart McCall for two-and-a-half years, Peter Taylor left after nine months unfortunately, but Peter Jackson went himself. It wasn’t in our control, he decided to leave.

“It will be nice to get some continuity, that’s what you need, and why we have given Phil a two-year contract.”

The Bantams host Sheffield Wednesday tonight in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, but Parkinson will leave team matters in the hands of caretaker-manager Colin Cooper who was in charge for Saturday’s 4-2 victory over Barnet – City’s first win of the season.

Talks will be held tomorrow about Cooper’s future at the club, and the backroom set-up Parkinson wants.

Parkinson said: “Colin is going to be in overall charge (tonight), because I have come in this morning not knowing any of the staff or players. I can pick up the reins on Thursday.”

Last time: Sheffield Wednesday 1 Bradford City 2; League One; February 12 2005.

Last six games: Bradford LLDLLW, Sheffield Wednesday DLLWLW.

Referee: Tony Bates.