Bernard Parker of Kaizer Chiefs (Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix)
But now that professional football has been given the go-ahead to resume, Kaizer Chiefs’ long-serving player, Bernard Parker, believes mental strength will be key to them continuing their impressive run which saw them perched nicely at the top of the Absa Premiership standings, with a four-point gap separating them from the rest.
READ: Ex-Pirates star’s advice to discarded Molangoane
Amakhosi returned to training at Chiefs Village in Naturena on Monday after over 100 days away due to the pause in everything brought by the outbreak of Covid-19. While stuck at home, Parker says he watched the European leagues, who returned earlier.
“It is noteworthy to see that especially the top sides, who have the best players, seem to perform the best. That says a lot about their mental approach to the game. Look at Real Madrid, who have really been doing great since the restart, thanks to the players’ mental strength,” Parker told the club’s website on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old was also impressed by Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he says has been inspirational.
“It’s nice to see how he takes his leadership role seriously. Ronaldo has that winning mentality and it rubs off on his teammates. It’s a lesson for us as well.
“To be able to keep our momentum, we will need to be strong mentally. That’s going to be crucial when the league resumes.”
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.