After a dreadful start to their Barclays Premier League campaign, Tottenham won the transfer race for Parker and his presence in the side proved pivotal in their rise up the table.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp certainly sees Parker as the most important signing he has made since arriving at White Hart Lane.

Stuart Pearce would have seen all of this as he would have seen how Parker has established himself among England’s international footballers.

He commands respect but he also has the qualities that Pearce has been talking about when discussing what he looks for in a skipper.

He is selfless, he is a team player and he also leads by example. As Alan Curbishley remarked at the Footballer of the Year dinner last May, he is also the last player who will need a super-injunction.

Clearly, Steven Gerrard would have been the popular choice and it will be interesting to see this evening against Holland if Parker’s selection as captain has been influenced by Pearce’s desire to start with Gerrard on the bench.

But even if the two midfielders do start alongside one another for the first time in an England shirt at Wembley, no one can deny that Parker is also perfect captaincy material.

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