BOSS'S CRITICISM LEAVES STRIKER GASPING

Ferguson's Italian dream is fast turning into a nightmare under Roma manager Gian with January move on cards

- BY MARK MCCADDEN

TROY PARROTT had just turned 21-and-a-half when he made a shock loan move to Dutch side Excelsior.

From an Irish perspective, only those old enough to remember David Connolly's sensational spell there, when he scored 42 goals in 48 appearances for the then-second-tier side, would have been aware of this particular club's existence.

Parrott certainly wasn't, as he was born almost three years after Connolly's loan move to the Rotterdam-based club.

But the move proved to be the making of Parrott, as his senior career had failed to catch fire during loan spells at Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons and Preston.

At his young age, the Dubliner already had plenty of miles on the clock. But finally he found the right platform and he hadn't looked back.

Evan Ferguson is still four months younger than Parrott was when he made his move to the Netherlands.

It looks like his Roma adventure is set to end in tears, with his manager Gian Piero Gasperini (right) lurching from criticism to praise to criticism of the Meathman.

His latest broadside comes in the wake of their Serie A defeat to Juventus.