The 43-year-old was asked about an array of topics as he gets to work at Gawthorpe in what he hopes will be a successful season in which the Clarets clinch an instant return to the top flight.
Here’s a selection of what Parker had to say:
1. The perfect opportunity
“There were offers, yes, but it just wasn’t the right time for me really,” he added. “I wasn’t in a position at that moment where I wanted to get back into work. I wanted that time to just recharge a bit and go over things in my head to the point where I am now, where I’m excited and enthusiastic about this chance and this opportunity.” Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
2. Having a point to prove
“As a coach or someone sitting in the main chair you’ve always got something to prove. I come here with two promotions with two different football clubs but ultimately this is a new challenge for me and I think we’ve all got something to prove. It’s a team that’s obviously been relegated last season, the season before they had real success, so it’s not just me in that sense, it’s everyone associated with this football club." Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
3. Aiming for instant promotion
“That’s the aim. Vinny did an incredible job in that sense and has left good bones of a football club. He’s obviously gone now but we have a very good squad here. I’ve been in the building a couple of days so as you can imagine there’s a lot of work to do in terms of understanding things and the dynamics of the team. But for sure, the aim this year is to compete at the right end of the table and to take this football club back to the Premier League.” Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
4. Trimming the squad
"It’s a big squad, we’ve got a lot of numbers at this moment in time. I’ve only had one training session and as you can imagine I’m just overseeing things at this moment and that’s a process I’m having to undertake, which I’m going to have to do quickly, I understand that. We’re only five weeks away from the start of the season, so that’s a process we’re working towards.” Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard