We’ve got a beautiful relationship
Delmain Faver: Die Hond, for the better part of 11 years, you have been driving to Naturena for training, so it must feel weird that we are meeting up here at St Stithians College in Bryanston for what is your first day of work at TS Galaxy…
Bernard Parker: Today is my first session here at the Rockets, and it’s football, it’s football. It’s a transition that I have to get used to. It’s a transition that I have to take on strongly with all my might. I feel important here. I’ve been welcomed warmly by everyone – the players, the technical staff, the management, as well as the fans when I was at Mbombela (Stadium) on the weekend. So, it’s football and I’m not the only player in the history of football that has to make such an adjustment or transition. That’s why it’s called the Beautiful Game.
DF: Before you left South African shores for the first time in 2009, you were playing for a so-called small side in Thanda Royal Zulu. Since then, you have turned out for some of the biggest teams in Europe, and certainly a big one in Africa. How
difficult would you say it is to adjust to being at a club with a low profile?
BP: Yeah, it’s not difficult at all, believe you me. It’s not difficult at all. As you also see in Europe, a lot of players that have gone to play for big teams and have been at a top level for so long, they always go home. See what happened with Luis Suarez, you know – he went home. A whole lot of players I can mention… Carlos Tevez. But it is actually a grateful one, I would say. Grateful in terms of being... how can I say? Appreciated, you know. Being appreciated. So, I think the chairman (Tim Sukazi) really appreciates me. He said that he values me highly on and off the field and I think that’s who I’ve become, you know, an influential player as well in the past three to four years. I’ve
not only been playing, but I’ve also been helping, I’ve also been encouraging and also been uplifting. I’ve also been inspiring players around me. So, I’ve got a new home now, new club, a new family and I’m happy to be here and contribute to the success that TS Galaxy (will) have.
DF: The likes of Xola Mlambo and Sibusiso Vilakazi are amongst the serecently nior players signed by the club to add much-needed exRockets. perience to the That said, what do you bring to the club?
BP: I bring Bernard Parker to TS Galaxy. You know, Bernard Parker always knows what he has to do. I’ve played at the highest level, in Europe, being part of (the UEFA) Champions League, Europa League, (and) also playing in the World Cup (with) Bafana Bafana, a whole lot of things. All-time leadChiefs, ing goal scorer at (Kaizer) as well being the all-time (leading) goal scorer (for the club) in the PSL era, you know. Played over 30 (Soweto) derbies. A whole lot of stuff. So, all of that which Bernard Parker has achieved, you know, he brings here. He brings inspiration to the young lads that are looking up to becoming elite players, the next big player or the next superstar. So, it’s just for me to give everything I have to the club on and off the field.
DF: We’ll be honest and say it was a bit of a surprise when you were announced by TS Galaxy considering that you spent some time training with SuperSport United under your former coach Gavin Hunt. How did you end up signing for your new club instead of Matsatsantsa?
BP: Yes, I was training alone for quite some time as well, and because I was hoping for something and coach Gavin knows me very well from our time together at Chiefs, he said to me, “No, man, rather than you training on your own, come and train with the team. We’ve got a young, exciting team here, you know. Come and inspire the boys.” I didn’t even ask anything else, I just said, “Okay, I’m coming. What time is the training tomorrow? I’m coming.” I came and I trained, and they were very impressed. They felt… the coaching and the technical staff believed that I could add value, you know, and they took it up higher above them. The season started, things went on and I decided to go with the option by coming to the Rockets because me and the chairman, we’ve got a beautiful relationship over the years, you know, since
“He came and visited me at FC Twente when he brought Tower (Erick Mathoho) on trial.”
“I really don’t know who came up with that talk because I wasn’t told about that.”
FC Twente. He came and visited me at FC Twente when he brought Tower (Erick Mathoho) on trial in 2009. From there, we had a beautiful relationship. So, he called me and he said to me he really, really would want me to be part of the family. I accepted, with his (Hunt’s) blessing.
DF: At the age of 36, would you say this is your swansong football-wise?
BP: It’s too early to tell. I’ve signed for two years with my new home, with my new club, and I think I can go strong. You can only be judged on your last game or your last season. You guys have seen how much of an important impact I had last season, you know. They say you should go strong until the wheels fall off.
DF: Talking about going strong, were you surprised that the Soweto giants decided against keeping you on for another campaign considering that you made 26 appearances last season, scoring four goals and making four assists? BP: It was a tough one because I didn’t expect it and I had to accept that decisions in football do not only go with playing, but they also go with business. They also go with the vision, with what they are thinking towards, how they want to look at the future. So, me not being part of the plans, I really understand that it’s a holistic decision that was made and I accepted it. I’m happy that I’ve got a new home. It was a long, two-month off-season.
DF: When you would hosi player, might agerial ifications inspiration your professionalism Tell us
BP: I don’t know who came up with that talk. I really don’t know who came up with that talk because I wasn’t told about that. Going forward, I didn’t know what’s happening or what’s going on and what’s the way forward. I wasn’t actually told, things were just quiet. So, I decided to sit down with the family and look into the best way forward.