As Parrott grew up near Tolka Park, a logical assumption categorised him as Shels fan.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I was always a Rovers fan growing up, so I was out in Tallaght,\u201d he said in October. \u201cIt\u2019s the way I was brought up. I just preferred the green and white when I was younger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parrott\u2019s only regret ahead of the game is that it is not being played in Dublin.<\/p>\n
Before Budapest, Parrott was already flirting with star status. This season he has scored 19 goals in 19 appearances for club and country.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhysically, he has become more of an athlete, stronger, he can deliver more in the press,\u201d AZ manager Maarten Martens told The Irish Times last weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s stable mentally. He can play in other positions because he\u2019s smart, he can play as a second striker or from the wing, but his best position is number nine because he\u2019s a clean finisher.\u201d<\/p>\n His 19th strike, last Sunday against Heerenveen, came too late to impact a 3-1 defeat as AZ stumbled to a third straight loss following the 5-1 thumping by PSV Eindhoven and 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace earlier this month.<\/p>\n Despite the dip in results, Alkmaar sit third in the Eredivisie behind PSV and Feyenoord with mounting pressure on Martens to be relieved by Parrott hitting number 20 to end Shels\u2019 European campaign and simultaneously push his team up the Conference League.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be nice to see some Irish fans in the stadium,\u201d said Parrott. \u201cI\u2019m excited for the game, I\u2019ve got a few of my family coming over.\u201d<\/p>\n Plenty of Dubliners will be on the train out of Amsterdam in what appears to be Shelbourne\u2019s last chance to add points to their 0-0 with Hacken, especially with their remaining ties coming against Palace and Celje, the Slovenia outfit that recently outclassed Rovers in Tallaght.<\/p>\n Shamrock Rovers v Shakhtar Donetsk, Tallaght Stadium, 8pm (Premier Sports 1)<\/b> <\/p>\n Three weeks after the League and Cup double was completed, Shamrock Rovers enter the most financially important part of their season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a bit of time away from each other after the cup final and in those moments you do think about it, but it\u2019s very quickly that you have to switch on again to what\u2019s coming,\u201d said Rovers manager Stephen Bradley<\/a>. \u201cWe still have aims for the rest of the year, it\u2019s not as if we\u2019re finished and we can relax and take it in … maybe at Christmas time, it\u2019ll be a time to reflect and enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Shamrock](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/WSJIE67KXCYHWC5PEFYHMOV7J4.jpg\")
Shamrock Rovers’ Adam Matthews. Photograph: Dan Clohessy\/Inpho <\/p>\n