Former West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur star Scott Parker announced his retirement from football last week and has quickly been snapped up as a coach.
The three-time Hammer of the Year and former England international is the only player to represent five different London clubs.
It is perhaps even more remarkable that he is fondly remembered and respected by the majority of fans at all of them despite the intense football rivalry between fans in the capital.
A section of Hammers fans will never forgive Parker for leaving their club for bitter rivals Spurs after their relegation.
Scott Parker in action for Tottenham Hotspur
But when it was revealed Parker has been taking his coaching badges after his retirement this week, The Sun reported Spurs were keen to recruit him as a youth coach.
West Ham fans took to online forums and social media to demand owners David Gold and David Sullivan act fast to beat their rivals to the punch and bring the former favourite back to East London instead.
But they have been left disappointed after Mauricio Pochettino’s side got the jump on the Hammers, as Spurs have announced Parker as their new Under-18s coach and club ambassador on their official website.
The 36-year-old was reportedly in talks with Spurs for the past few months about the possibility of beginning his coaching career with them as part of their academy team.
But after Gold angered Hammers fans with controversial comments over the prospects of young players in the Premier League, supporters wanted to see the club be proactive and prove they are serious about their academy.
One way of doing that would have been to recruit the three-time Hammer of the Year as he embarks on a new phase of his career in the dug-out.
Three time Hammer of the Year Scott Parker
West Ham either did not react quick enough or felt Parker was not needed.
But John McDermott, Spurs’ Head of Coaching and Player Development, says Parker will be influential in shaping the careers.
“Scott will need no introduction in terms of his playing credentials. He’s been planning a career in coaching for a number of years and during his time here he was not only completing his coaching qualifications but dealing with players in real life situations,” McDermott told tottenhamhotspur.com.
“Scott’s role within the Academy will be to manage the Under-18s players and to instil the standards required to be an elite international and Premier League player.
“I know how passionately Scott feels about the personal qualities Mauricio needs from players to be a success in our first team and I know he will develop these qualities in our players on and off the training pitch.”
It is a bit of a sickener for Hammers fans, many of whom took to Twitter to plead with their club to bring Parker into the fold.
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