Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has defended Amakhosi forward Bernard Parker over the huge criticism he’s been receiving on social media.
The Englishman saw his player score a brace in their 2-1 victory over SuperSport United on the weekend, with the two goals not just securing three points but also seeing Parker become the club’s record goalscorer during the PSL era.
When asked about Parker’s best position for the club, Baxter explained that he believes he has found the perfect place in his line-up for the 35-year-old.
“At the moment, the position he’s been playing in. He’s scoring goals in that position, his movement is clever,” he told Andile Ngcube on Radio2000.
“We’ve worked very hard on the movement of our front players, they’ve got a good understanding at the moment. They’re a handful, they’re pressing very well when we’re defending.
“So Bernard in that position, he’s enjoying his game and he’s showing that he’s still got a lot to offer.”
However, Baxter also went further and defended Parker over the wave of criticism the player has been receiving on social media.
“Not only that, the people that criticised him, they don’t work with Bernard every day. If you took anyone of our players and asked them what they thought about the criticism Bernard Parker has been getting, then they would stand up and fight for him,” he added.
“They would give you a glowing recommendation of the professional that Bernard is.
“I just don’t think we should react to the comments – I know it’s modern society, we’re getting a wave, a tsunami of opinion on social media, it gains weight and that means you have to deal with it.
“But I have to say that those people are getting a very, very narrow view, cause they see what they’ve seen over the last years. Bernard has been one of our best players this year.
“So it can’t be what’s been happening this year, it’s about what happened before and he has a number that is his age and surely it must be time that we find somebody fresh.
“That’s the world that we live in. I’m not insulting people, I’m not saying ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about’, I’m saying that’s the world we live in, but as a professional I’ve got to try and be a little bit independent from that and Bernard has got to stay strong and keep on being the good professional that he is.
“It’s not strange, because that’s the world we live in. They love him now because he’s scored two goals but that would change again if he doesn’t score. We know that’s the game, it’s just to get on with it.”
Chiefs will return to action next week Tuesday, 2 November when they will face unbeaten Stellenbosch FC, who currently sit in second place.
