The future of West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini is in serious doubt.
West Ham are on the brink of the relegation zone after just one win from their last 11 games.
Reports claim Pellegrini will pay the price for the club’s freefall if West Ham lose to Southampton on Saturday.
That would likely see the Hammers in the relegation zone for Christmas.
A host of managers have been linked as potential replacements from almost all ends of the football spectrum.
Host of managers linked from the full football spectrum
From Rafa Benitez, Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche to David Moyes, Sam Allardyce and Harry Redknapp.
They have all been linked along with plenty of others such as Chris Hughton and Chris Wilder.
But should West Ham instead look to follow the young, hungry former player turned manager trend instead by exploring the possibility of bringing in Scott Parker?
Manchester United have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Chelsea have Frank Lampard. Even Arsenal currently have Freddie Ljungberg and are said to be considering him and two other former players Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira for the job full-time.
Wilder at Sheffield United is a former Blade too.
Great Scott, should West Ham follow new managerial trend?
Looking across the game there are not many young, stand-out candidates for former West Ham players who could take up the managerial reins.
Parker is doing a superb job at Fulham. After steering the Cottagers to safety last season Parker has the West Londoners in third place in the Championship approaching the halfway stage.
As a three-time Hammer of the Year, Parker – despite his brief spell at Spurs – would be universally popular back at West Ham.
Fulham are well adrift of Championship frontrunners Leeds and West Brom. So prising him away would not be too difficult.
West Ham have hired the tried and tested Premier League bosses like Allardyce and Moyes. They have also gone for an elite name in Pellegrini.
But the end results have not been too different.
So perhaps it is time West Ham try something a bit different.
Inspirational Parker could be just what Hammers need
In many ways Parker has already had practice of managing West Ham.
During the disastrous spell under Avram Grant, Parker famously gave an impassioned half-time teamtalk with the side trailing 3-0 to West Brom.
West Ham came back to draw 3-3 in the second half and were unlucky not to win.
After the game Carlton Cole made sure Parker got the credit for the result.
“We were diabolical but at half-time Scott was inspirational,” Cole told BBC Sport at the time.
“Scott was in the zone – I’ve never seen him like that. If you were there you would have had a tear in your eye.
“Scott Parker showed a lot of passion in the changing room and it spurred us on. I know you could say that if you are a professional footballer then you should have that in you anyway, but sometimes you need your captain to step up like that.”
Maybe Parker could provide similar inspiration from the dugout eight years on?
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