Baxter says Parker does not get the praise he deserves

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says Bernard Parker should be praised more after the stalwart’s superb performance in Amakhosi’s victory over Orlando Pirates on Saturday.

Parker, who featured in his 30th Soweto derby, played a starring role as Amakhosi claimed a 2-1 win at Orlando Stadium and moved to second spot on the Premier Soccer League (PSL) standings.

Defenders Reeve Frosler and Eric Mathoho scored for Chiefs while Pirates’ goal came from Kwame Peprah.

Many Chiefs supporters have made it a habit to criticise 35-year-old Parker for his age, and the veteran is often made a scapegoat when things do not go the club’s way.

Baxter said Parker put in one of his best performances of the season against Pirates, adding it was one of the finest displays he had seen from a PSL player of late.

So the talk about him being too old, we can put that one away for a while because if he plays like that he can get into any team in the PSL,” said Baxter.

He offered a statistic for those who think Parker is too old.

“Bernard ran more than anyone in the team tonight — he ran over 13km,” he said, comparing that to David Beckham’s much praised 12.4km against Greece in a World Cup qualifier.

While Baxter understands that football is a game of opinion, he feels it would be a shame if Parker is not appreciated for the person he is and not just for his fine performance on Saturday.

Parker, who turns 36 this month, has been with Chiefs for more than a decade after he joined the club in 2011 from FC Twente of Netherlands.

“Bernard is a marvellous human being, he is a great footballer, and he is a good professional and a model professional. You can talk to Bernard on any level, it’s not just about firing him up to play football,” said the coach.

“Bernard thrives on stretching himself as a person, as a player and to being what Kaizer Chiefs need him to be. And if he sits in the stands, he will be the best player in the stands; and if he sits on the bench, he will be a great bench player. That is his attitude.

“All I do is to make sure he stays in that zone where he can give that sort of performance. To his credit, the fact that he can still give it means the motivation comes from Bernard and nowhere else.”

While Baxter understands that football is a game of opinion, he feels it would be a shame if Parker is not appreciated for the person he is and not just for his performance on Saturday. 

“Everybody shouldn’t think like Stuart Baxter or Jürgen Klopp, and the guy at the pizza store down the corner has a right to his opinion as well,” Baxter said.

Parker’s contract with the Glamour Boys comes to an end in June and it remains to be seen if he will get an extension.