Scott Parker on ‘cold, hard reality’ of Burnley's losing run and need for 'concrete heads'

Heading into this weekend’s crunch clash against Fulham, Burnley are on a run of six straight defeats in the Premier League.

Should they lost at home to the Cottagers this weekend – something they haven’t done since 1951 – they will create some unwelcome history by losing seven consecutive Premier League games for the first time in the club’s history.

Parker’s side have been stuck on 10 points for a month-and-a-half, leaving them five points adrift of safety ahead of this weekend’s action.

The Clarets boss was inevitably asked about his side’s losing run and how the younger members of his squad are dealing with the current adversity ahead of Saturday evening’s encounter.

When asked if he’s concerned his younger players aren’t developing quickly enough, Parker replied: “It might be the case, [but] I don't really see that at this present moment in time. I see a group that has picked up things, developed things really, really quickly.

“Again, I understand from my position and from our position in terms of those players maybe not even recognising it.

“Why? Because we haven't won games over the last five games or six games, whatever it is. But last year was exactly the same.

The Burnley Express has launched a new WhatsApp channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our Burnley Express WhatsApp channel.

“I've been involved in football for a long, long period of my life and the similarities are there for sure. This is a progression and progress and I get that might sound fluffy. I understand that, but it's just a cold, hard reality.

“The cold, hard reality is along any journey, any season, any journey in life, there's some bumps and there's some adversity.

“Maybe the modern day world has not allowed us to embrace that adversity or deal with that in certain moments.

“We want a quick fix and we want an instant click of a finger for something to be put right or done right or expect certain people to execute in certain moments, that's just not the reality. Whether you like it or not, speaking with experience, that's not the reality.

“Sometimes you need to go through a bit of pain, sometimes you need to accept where you need to improve.

“That doesn't mean that you just step aside and move on to the next one, but with a commitment, with a hard work, with a desire and a passion and a hard head at times - certainly in the world these young boys live in, you need a concrete head at times because there is a lot of noise and that can produce doubt and that can produce a lack of commitment through doubt.

“I don't have that in this group, I honestly don't have that. I have a group here, a young group, that can accept at times where we're falling short.

“But trust me, every single Monday we come back in and debrief or accept certain areas, I've got a group that look up, face up and go again and with that attitude and with that desire, you have a chance in terms of progressing and becoming better - and I see that in this group.”

Your next Burnley FC read: Scott Parker press conference: Burnley's losing run, big Fulham clash and Kyle Walker's absence