Bernard Parker

Bernard Parker (born 16 March 1986 in Boksburg, Gauteng) is a South African professional association football midfielder/striker playing for Kaizer Chiefs.

Bernard Parker
Parker with FC Twente in 2009
Personal information
Full name Bernard Melvin Parker[1]
Date of birth (1986-03-16) 16 March 1986
Place of birth Boksburg, South Africa
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position(s) Attacking midfielder
forward
Club information
Current team
 Kaizer Chiefs
Number 25
Youth career
Transnet School of Excellence[2]
Mamelodi Sundowns
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2009 Thanda Royal Zulu 116 (29)
2009 Red Star Belgrade 16 (6)
2009–2011 FC Twente 17 (0)
2011 → Panserraikos (loan) 12 (1)
2011– Kaizer Chiefs 149 (40)
National team‡
2006–2008 South Africa U-23 22 (12)
2007–2015 South Africa 73 (23)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 March 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 March 2020

Early life

Parker was born and grew up in Reiger Park, a township next to Boksburg. He was quite good in a variety of sports and excelled in short and long-distance running as well as achieving Eastern Gauteng colours in swimming.

Club career

A product of the School of Excellence, Parker made his debut in the professional ranks for Cape Town's Hellenic FC, later bought and renamed Benoni Premier United. After the club was once again renamed and moved to Durban he remained with Thanda Royal Zulu F.C. until early 2009 when he obtained a transfer to European Cup Winners Red Star in Serbia. His stay in Belgrade was cut short after reports that the club had cash flow problems and owed its players' salaries.[3] He consequentially signed with FC Twente in July 2009 and was a member of the team that won the Dutch 2009–10 Eredivisie. After Twente Manager Steve Mclaren's move to the German Bundesliga, Parker failed to convince new coach Michel Preud'homme of his qualities and thus spent the first half of the 2010/11 Dutch season mostly on the bench. He joined Leicester City on trial in December 2010 with a view to a permanent move away from the Dutch club. On 18 January 2011 he moved to Panserraikos F.C. on loan, to secure extra game time and returned to FC Twente after the end of the 2010/11 Greek season. After receiving interest from Swedish clubs Malmö FF and Helsingborgs IF as well as South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs, Parker chose the latter ahead of the other clubs.[4] In the 2012/13 season, Parker scored 12 league goals in 28 matches and finished as runner up to Katlego Mashego who had 13 and helped Chiefs to a league and cup double.[5] The following season, he won the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot with 10 goals.[6]

Club statistics
As of 9 May 2011
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Red Star Belgrade 2008-09 1660000166
Total 1660000166
FC Twente 2009–10 1405260252
2010–11 30310061
Total 1708360313
Panserraikos 2010–11 1210000121
Total 1210000121
Kaizer Chiefs 2011–12 283500002835
2012–13 283100002831
Total 566683605666
Career Total 10163836011566

International career

Bernard Parker had his national team debut against Malawi in 2007, scoring his first goal in 2008 against the same team. On 17 June 2009, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win over New Zealand in the 2009 Confederations Cup,[7] and also received the Man of the Match award.[8] He played in 2010 FIFA World Cup representing South Africa but the team was eliminated after group stage. He also played in 2013 African Cup of Nations hosted in South Africa.

On 16 June 2013, Parker scored an own goal in a 2–1 defeat to Ethiopia which ended South Africa's chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Earlier in the match he had given South Africa a 1–0 lead.[9] Parker also scored by chipping the ball over Víctor Valdés in the 56th minute in a 1–0 shock win over the then-world and European champions Spain at Soccer City, where it won the World Cup in 2010.[10] Parker won the top goalscorer award at the 2014 African Nations Championship with four goals from three group matches.[11]

National team statistics
South Africa national team
YearAppsGoals
200750
200874
2009143
2010103
201170
201252
2013177
201444
201540
Total7323'[12]

International goals
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[12]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.30 September 2008Driehoek Stadium, Germiston, South Africa Malawi1–03–0Friendly
2.2–0
3.15 October 2008Seisa Ramabodu Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa Ghana2–12–1Friendly
4.19 November 2008Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa Cameroon3–23–2Friendly
5.28 March 2009Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa Norway1–02–1Friendly
6.17 June 2009Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa New Zealand1–02–02009 FIFA Confederations Cup
7.2–0
8.16 May 2010Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Thailand4–04–0Friendly
9.31 May 2010Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa Guatemala5–05–0Friendly
10.4 September 2010Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Niger2–02–02012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
11.11 September 2012Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Mozambique1–02–0Friendly
12.2–0
13.23 March 2013Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa Central African Republic2–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
14.8 June 2013Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon Central African Republic1–03–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.16 June 2013Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Ethiopia1–21–22014 FIFA World Cup qualification
16.7 September 2013Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa Botswana3–14–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
17.4–1
18.10 September 2013Orlando Stadium, Soweto, South Africa Zimbabwe1–21–2Friendly
19.19 November 2013Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa Spain1–01–0Friendly
20.11 January 2014Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa Mozambique1–03–12014 African Nations Championship
21.3–1
22.15 January 2014Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa Mali1–01–12014 African Nations Championship
23.19 January 2014Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa Nigeria1–31–32014 African Nations Championship

Personal life

Parker married Wendy Cherry in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, on 16 June 2012 at a ceremony attended by 170 guests. Parker said: "I spoke to my wife-to-be about fixing a date for the wedding. It was just a matter of finding the right time on the rare occasion when I wasn't playing a soccer match. the time is now and I know I've made the right choice."[13]

Honours

Club

FC Twente

Kaizer Chiefs

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 28. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. "facelift for stars' school". The Sowetan. 10 February 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  3. www.realnet.co.uk. "Red Star crisis grows". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. www.realnet.co.uk. "Bobby Motaung says new signing Bernard Parker is not Knowledge Musona's replacement". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. www.realnet.co.uk. "Bernard Parker - Array - kickoff.com". www.kickoff.com. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  6. www.realnet.co.uk. "PSL Golden Boot, or bronze boot?". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  7. "South Africa 2–0 New Zealand". BBC Sport. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
  8. "Bernard Parker, from zero to hero". FIFA.com. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  9. "Bafana say goodbye to Brazil". kickoff.com. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  10. "Bernard Parker scores as South Africa shocks Spain in friendly". SI.com. Associated Press. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  11. "Parker Wins CHAN Goalscorer Award". Soccer Laduma. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  12. Bernard Parker at National-Football-Teams.com
  13. "Bernard Parker weds". Drum. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  14. "Parker Wins CHAN Goalscorer Award". Soccer Laduma. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
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