Winston Parks

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Winston Parks
Personal information
Full name Winston Parks Tifet
Date of birth October 12, 1981 (1981-10-12) (age 26)
Place of birth    Limón, Costa Rica
Height 1.84 m (6 ft +12 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current club LD Alajuelense
Youth clubs
1997–2000 Doble M Balompie
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1999–2001
2001–2002
2002
2002-2006
2003-2004
2006-2007
2007-
ASODELI
Udinese
Ascoli (loan)
Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Saturn Ramenskoe (loan)
Slovan Liberec
LD Alajuelense
49 (12)
00 0(0)
03 0(0)
53 0(7)
11 0(3)
17 0(2)
27 0(9)   
National team2
2001– Costa Rica 25 0(5)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 20 June 2006.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 20 June 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Winston Parks Tifet (born October 12, 1981) is a Costa Rican football (soccer) striker who currently plays for LD Alajuelense in his home country. He has just spent a few years in Europe at Lokomotiv Moscow and on loan at FC Saturn Ramenskoe.

Winston made his debut in the Costa Rican Primera Divisiónin 1999 with only in 17 year-old, playing with his hometown team ASODELI and scored his first goal back on november 28th of the same year, he played this season mostly as a substitute, because he was competing at that moment against some players that succeded during the next few years, like Kurt Bernard, Andy Herron, Rayner Robinson and Ricardo Douglas for a place in the starting line-up. The following season and after the sale of most of the players mentioned before, it was usual to see him in the starting line-up making a dangerous offensive triplet with Victor Núñez and Andy Herron.

Parks gained recognition as an exceptional youth player, appearing in FIFA World Youth Championships U-17 in 1999 held in Nigeria and U-20 in 2001 held in Argentina, and leading Costa Rica during the 2001 U-20 tournament, with four goals. His high internationally performances led the Italian club Udinese to purchase the player for $2.1 million from ASODELI. However, Parks was unable to earn a place in the club's first team, he was loaned to Ascoli and eventually moved on to Lokomotiv Moscow, he was again loaned to FC Saturn Ramenskoe and then he was sold to Slovan Liberec.

Despite his minimal success at the club level, Parks is still an excellent prospect for his country. After making his full national team debut in November 2001, he made the roster for the 2002 World Cup, where he appeared in two games as a substitute. Against Turkey he scored the equalizing goal, but failed to score on a second opportunity. he also had a great game against Brazil. His lack of playing time and injuries have, however, resulted in Parks seeing little time during 2006 World Cup qualifying.

After spending 6 years in Europe he decided to moved back to Costa Rica looking for more minutes on the field in other the get in shape and find again his game and ability. He signed with LD Alajuelense, but he has had a lot of injuries and only scored 2 goals in the Apertura's tournament. He has got more minutes during the Clausura's tournament and less injuries, he has scored more goals and delivered better performances but there are still high hopes for this player.