Phil Parkinson - The Miraculous One

Your initial thoughts must be ‘this is bold, four games in to the season and he's comparing him to Mourinho?’ Not quite, but something along those lines, and I don't even care, I love him.

So here we are, four games in, unbeaten and joint top of the Championship and there’s only one man who can take full responsibility and take such pride in the ‘won the league in August’ trophy. No but seriously, this is some achievement.

Since day one, Phil has made it his mission to turn this club around and is clearly set on getting it back to where it belongs. There is nothing wrong with his bravery or ambition because its something which we need so desperately if we are ever going to get back to the promised land.

Granted, this is early days, but something about our recent performances makes you wonder whether Parky has done some kind of deal with the devil over the summer but as Ken Anderson has said in his most recent edition of his chairman’s notes, ‘you make your own luck’ and he's bang on.

Its about time we had a bit of luck, correct, but this is more than luck. Such events don't happen in succession so naturally or for no reason, there’s something about our manager thats very very special, he suits the club and the club suits him, the longer he stays, the more we improve, grow in confidence and calibre and grow back into the outfit that we once were.

As hard as it is to put your finger on what exactly it is, but how he's brought this club from free fall to what appears to be a side who are genuinely capable of challenging for a place in the top ten, perhaps even top six at a huge push, is something incredibly astonishing, hence why everyone presumes its luck, but what if it isn't?

Dare to dream. Imagine what could be for a minute, in fact take a minute to look at where we are now compared with 36 months ago. From ruin to almost certain solidarity. Its something we aimed to achieve within ten years of being relegated from the Championship and are already back on our feet within three and who knows where we could be by the fifth year.

Its easy to recognise that despite our doubts and insecurities, we've gone from a fifteen man squad to one drastically better than last year and one with options, ability and most importantly, the key word, ambition.

Under Parky’s mentoring, the turn around is evident and the way in which he's hand picked each member of this squad and developed it, drilled them, educated them brought them together to create a winning formula, capable of competing with the big guns.

You really have to pinch yourself as a reminder that we spent £200,000 this window, that’s it. Pundits go on about how important it is to spend to compete, but in our situation where that isn't possible and all we have is belief and team chemistry, you have to give the manager all the credit in the world for that.

In the darker days where there were more calling for his head than there were backing him, all the off the field scenarios and the potential possibilities of jobs elsewhere and so on, he’s stuck by us through it all, because he wants to succeed and he wants us to succeed and you simply can't ask for more than that.

It’s a matter of true leadership and understanding of everyones capabilities, incapabilities, strengths, weaknesses, you get my drift, but it takes this simple recognition to get it right and he's done just that.

Take Gary O’Neil for example. An old head with minimal playing years left, years on down the line from several failed trials and not in favour with the fans, yet Parky saw something in him that we too, now can and are so thankful for. The experience, the quality and the defensively minded player that he is is just what we need to close a game out. Props to him for completing 90 mins against Birmingham too, and what a performance it was!

Pawel Olkowski, quite frankly a nobody to Wanderers fans before he joined and some excellent scouting and persuasion to get him to move to England and show us what he can do has again been such a clever move and we love him too. He’s such a Rolls Royce.

Adam Le Fondre. As much as we loved him and as much as we were angry, Parky knew it was the right thing to do, he understood and accepted Alfie’s wishes and knew it was best for both parties, as it has proved. I still miss you and love you though Alfie, if you're reading!

I could go on forever about each player and why Parky’s decisive eye that was cast over them, was so influential in creating such a confident squad who suit the club, know where they stand and their roles down to a tee.

Josh Magennis is another and the last I will cover but six months ago, nobody wanted him. We pay £200,000 for him, hopeful that we can have faith in Parky to make the right decision and you can say for yourselves whether it was or not, its just incredible.

It’s all about playing to each of the squad’s strengths because whilst unhappy, theres no confidence and no desire, but because his expectations are realistic, because he's a level headed coach who's aware of his limitations and it works a dream.

Parky defines the importance of a mangers role in day to day footballing activities behind the scenes at a club and why its important to take a lead and be so active in the running of the club and getting things right when they matter most, even when we don't see it.

For us, theres no better leader out there and I have full faith in Parky that each decision he makes will be the right one, whether I agree with it or not initially, it’ll prove to be the right one. Its an amazing feeling when you have such a clever manager at the helm who knows what makes the team tick, regardless of the external perspective.

I vow never to question a Phil Parkinson decision ever again.

He has every right to take credit for our achievements on the field both over the last few weeks and the last few years because quite frankly, I could bet you everything I have that we’d be nowhere near where we are now without him.

Without wishing the curse on him, I really hope he gets manager of the month award because he's doing one hell of a job and I love him for it. The assurance that he brings to the club is extremely satisfying, promising and poses a genuinely bright future for the club.

Long may it continue and lets hope we’re in it together for the long run.

We love you, Parky!