Kaizer Chiefs: Baxter lauds Parker’s performance as best in the PSL

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has urged a section of club fans who are calling for Bernard Parker to be benched to start appreciating the player more.

Parker walked away with the man of the match award in Amakhosi’s 2-1 win over Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby on Saturday afternoon.

And according to Baxter, Parker’s performance was the best he has ever seen of a PSL player.

Furthermore, Baxter said talk that Parker is too old should be put to rest as he believes the 35-year-old continues to defy that myth every time he takes to the pitch.

Parker turns 36 on 16 March, and with his contract coming to an end in June, it remains to be seen if Chiefs will keep him as a player beyond that.

Baxter added that if Parker can maintain the same performance he displayed against Pirates, he can hurt many teams in the PSL.

The 68-year-old mentor further revealed that Parker ran over 13km in the Soweto Derby, adding that David Beckham is the only previous player he knows that ran 12.4km in a single match.

And that was when England played Greece in a FIFA World Cup qualifier with Beckham at his peak, said Baxter.

PARKER’S PERFORMANCE AGAINST PIRATES BEST IN THE PSL – BAXTER

“Bernard Parker probably gave one of the best performances I’ve seen of a PSL player. Talk of him being too old, I think people should absolutely put that one away for a while anyway because if he plays like that he can hurt any team in the PSL,” Baxter told reporters.

“Bernard ran more than anybody else in the team today. He ran over 13km. David Beckham before the high heavens ran 12.4 against Greece in a World Cup qualifier for England. Bernard is a marvelous human being,” added Baxter.