‘He’s not given enough credit’: Mere on Parker’s role at TS Galaxy

Bernard Parker in TS Galaxy colours

Recently retired football veteran Vuyo Mere has shed light on the significant contributions of former Kaizer Chiefs star Bernard Parker to TS Galaxy’s turnaround.

Mere officially announced his retirement from professional football after a successful 23-year career, having made his debut in 2001 during his stint at the now-defunct Hellenic FC.

Having joined the Rockets as a player in January 2022, the 41-year-old shifted his focus to coaching in July 2024, taking charge of the Mpumalanga club’s DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] side.

This was followed by his promotion to the first team in the recently concluded 2024/25 campaign, where he served as the assistant coach to Adnan Beganovic, who took charge of Galaxy after Sead Ramovic‘s resignation in November of last year.

However, Mere’s role as the first team assistant coach was short-lived as he was reportedly suspended for an undisclosed reason in April 2025, and has never returned to the club since then.

Mere was then replaced by Parker, with whom he worked as a coach within Galaxy’s reserve side.

Retired defender Vuyo Mere during his stint at TS Galaxy
Retired defender Vuyo Mere during his stint at TS Galaxy Photo: TS Galaxy

WHY MERE BELIEVES PARKER DESERVES MORE PRAISE AT TS GALAXY

Mere disclosed that Parker is not receiving the recognition he deserves for his dedication to the club, making the trip to Mpumalanga to scout players on his own.

“If you look back at what we had when we started the team, I must give credit to Parker. He went all out to get players. With his mentality, he had a positive impact. Coach Parker drove to the rural areas of Mpumalanga to find players,” Mere told SoccerBeat.

“I don’t think he’s given enough credit because he did it by himself. I don’t want to be a politician, but you know how other teams work when there’s no financial support and no structure at all.

“You’re expected to perform miracles, and with the grace of God, we managed to have a team before the start of the season. Look now, I think the team finished sixth in the league table. For a team that was just assembled for the first time, I believe that’s a great job by coach Parker.”

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