Former Fulham striker Ryan Babel is convinced manager Scott Parker can keep the club in the Premier League next season.

The former Liverpool forward had six months working with Parker 18 months ago.

"He would do a lot of training sessions and already then I could tell, with the way he coached the players, that he would become a manager," says Babel, 33, to the Daily Mail.

"Of course, at that point I didn't know the manager role was going to come so quick for him, but you can always tell if an assistant coach or manager understands football in the way you hope he does.

"I felt like he gave the older players, including me, the responsibility to speak to the younger players and help them out. That also gives the older players confidence because it makes you feel like he sees you as a grown-up."