Take a look at me now

Paul Parker came within touching distance of a World Cup final in 1990. These days the former Manchester United and England star is passing on his football wisdom to others. BBC Sport Online's Chris Charles caught up with him for a chat.

More than a decade has passed since Paul Parker played in a World Cup semi-final for England, but the tigerish defender has not lost his appetite for the game.

Nowadays he can be found giving the orders in his dual role as coach at Tottenham's youth academy and assistant manager of non-league Chelmsford.

Parker, 36, insists he does not miss walking out on to the pitch at three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, though.

"I love the everyday involvement of football, but on the playing side, I don't think it would be me now," he admits.

"The game's changed so much and I see different things in it which aren't for me.

Just playing for Manchester United in the first five years of their success was special

  Paul Parker

"As far as the salaries go, if someone's offering you the money, you're going to take it whether you're worth it or not. Certain players deserve the rewards, others don't."

Although dogged by injuries in the latter part of his career, Parker established himself as one of the top right backs in the country and has a lot of fond memories from his playing days.

"I couldn't pick out one moment as the be-all and end-all," he says.

"Achieving my first domestic medal when Manchester United won the league cup was great, then doing the double - which at the time was quite a big thing.

"Just playing for Manchester United in the first five years of their success was special."

Treason

West Ham's Michael Carrick has impressed Parker

One of Parker's proudest occasions was representing his country in the 1990 World Cup finals, when England agonisingly lost out to Germany on penalties in the semi-finals.

"We were a proper team, there was not many brilliant individuals," he recalls.

"It was a case of everyone getting together and having a good go for the manager (Bobby Robson), who was having a bad time personally, and digging deep."

But what about the current side - was he impressed with the recent 3-0 defeat of Spain?

"I could be done for treason here, but we all know the Spanish didn't treat it that seriously," Parker states.

"For the first 45 minutes they passed us to death and they weren't that bothered about an end product.

"The players didn't really want to go out and get hurt with the big Barcelona-Real Madrid game coming up.

"We didn't gain anything from it because it was a friendly. I think friendlies are dying a death now."

Parker is as keen as anyone to see England do well, but believes Sven Goran Eriksson's charges cannot be judged until the upcoming qualifying games.

"There's a long way to go before we can say we've got a good side," he adds, citing West Ham's Michael Carrick and Wes Brown of Manchester United as two players for the future.

England lost the 1990 World Cup semi-final on penalties

Although he doesn't get to go to many top-flight games these days because of his involvement in coaching and managing, Parker tries to attend all the Champions League clashes at Old Trafford.

"It's a completely different kind of game - there seems to be a better atmosphere in the ground than for a normal Premiership game," he says.

It's obvious United are Parker's team, but the West Ham-born star still lives in the London area and always looks out for the results of former club QPR.

"I started out with Fulham, but Rangers gave me my break and we were playing top-class football in the old First Division.

"They are in their current situation because of a lack of money, but the way Ian Holloway was as a player, he's got a good chance of getting them out of trouble."

Despite his affection for QPR, there is one thing Parker regrets in his career.

"I would have liked to have gone to United earlier than I did," he confesses, "but you can't pick and choose - otherwise nobody would be playing for the also-rans any more."