I’m here to win trophies: Parker
The 24-year-old signed a five-year deal after passing a medical on Tyneside yesterday and admitted he cannot wait to pull on the black and white shirt after managing just 19 starts for Chelsea since his £10million switch from Charlton in January 2004.
“It was frustrating,” said Parker, whose progress at Chelsea was hampered by a foot fracture. “I had a frustrating start where I was not figuring a lot, and then picked up an injury which stopped me playing for a little while, so I just cannot wait to start up.
“As a young player and as professional as I am, I want to play football and you are not happy when you are not playing football.
“As long as I am playing, I am happy. That was my main reason. I need to play.
“I am coming to Newcastle after a year, last year at Chelsea, which was pretty non-existent for me.
“After my injury, I did not really play a lot of games, so I am coming here, I want to work hard, I am going to work hard and I am going to show exactly what I can do. When I went to Chelsea, I had a driving ambition to win trophies, and I feel here at Newcastle, I can still achieve that.
“I do not feel I am coming away from Chelsea having failed, I just feel that maybe I was restricted in my opportunities really.
“I did not have a lot of chances to show what I can do. But I am here at Newcastle, over the moon and really just cannot wait to get involved.”
Parker’s move to St James’ Park provided a welcome boost for the Magpies after a disappointing season which saw them finish 14th in the Premiership and fall short in both the FA and UEFA Cups.
There will be further signings as manager Graeme Souness looks to rebuild his squad, but the latest addition is convinced the gloom of the last campaign will soon be forgotten.
“I think next year is going to be a big year for us. If we can build a good team spirit, which I am sure we can, and really get the lads all rallied up, we can give it a really good go.
“Last year, obviously Newcastle under-achieved. But in saying that, they got to the semi-finals of the FA Cup as well as being in Europe - that is what I mean about Newcastle, you are always going to be there or thereabouts. Last year was a blip and things can only get better for next year.
Souness said. “The word in the game is that this is a special and unique place. If you have got anything about you, you want to play in the atmosphere that we have here when we play our home games,.
“You do not want to go into a stadium where people are sitting on their hands eating prawn sandwiches; you want to be in a stadium where they are up and atit and every decision that goes for them or goes against them, they are showing some sort of emotion.
“That is what St James’ is all about, and if you are a player, that is where you want to play. Scott is the type of player our crowd will respond to because he wants to win, and you can never have enough of them around you.”
Meanwhile Chelsea last night drew a partial line under their involvement in the Ashley Cole ‘tapping-up’ scandal by accepting the punishment handed out to them by the FA Premier League’s independent inquiry team.
The Premiership champions opted not to contest the £300,000 fine and suspended three-point deduction imposed on them for breaching FAPL rules by speaking to the Arsenal left-back while he was still under contract to their rivals.
But while Chelsea have decided to move on in the interests of the game, they will fully support coach Jose Mourinho’s appeal against his £200,000 fine - twice the amount handed out to Cole who has already launched an appeal through his solicitors.
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