More gripping tales from Paul Parker's 2006 autobiography 'Paul Parker tackles like a ferret.' Here he talks about the experience of linking up with Graham Taylor's England squad
Taylor liked to create a good team spirit by filling long evenings with mock casinos and karaoke sessions. Oven-ready chickens were the prize on one occasion, but I was not a gambler, no money ever changed hands, and I found most of what happened tedious and pointless. You had to enjoy your football to give your best and I did not enjoy being with England anymore and, while that might sound unfair or ungracious, playing for Manchester United was a full time occupation and we were treated by the management there with far greater respect. I know for a fact, without naming them, of players who feigned injury so that they did not have to join Taylor's England party, and others arriving as late as they could while also pleading injuries.
Now listen, c'mere to me Parker, I know your oblivious to this stuff but let me assure you with our long and bloodstained history, we know how dangerous the accusation of feigning injury can be.
Don't be surprised if Parker gets a letter from a few unnamed ex-England internationals telling him where to go, and saying they didn't respect him as a full back, and they don't respect him now he's a best selling (?) author, and the only reason they have any dealings with him is that they somehow ended leafing through his book one day.
