Former Kaizer Chiefs attacker Bernard Parker has explained what caused Amakhosi’s implosion to surrender the PSL title to Mamelodi Sundowns during the 2019/20 season.
The Soweto giants appeared on course to be crowned champions, but sensationally collapsed to allow Masandawana to pip them to the crown right at the death. At some point that season, Chiefs enjoyed a 13-point lead.
After football was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, action resumed in a bio-bubble with Amakhosi losing their heat. They came within 20 minutes of winning the title, but a draw with Baroka on the last day of the season denied them the biggest prize in domestic football.
Throwing away such a big opportunity cost coach Ernst Middendorp his job. Parker has opened up on how Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane disturbed Chiefs’ ambitions.
HOW DID MOSIMANE DERAIL CHIEFS’ TITLE PUSH?
“We went into the bio-bubble and there were a lot of mind games played by coach Pitso Mosimane.” Parker said on Smash Sports. “When we went into the bubble, it was now the second round of the season, and we were leading the log by 11 points. It was a huge gap. We tried to retaliate against those mind games.
“At that time, it was during COVID-19, and everything was on social media. So, social media was also pushing the mind games. On top of it, coach Pitso signed George Maluleka on a pre-contract, trying to destabilise our camp.
“There were rumours, and George approached the club and told them the truth, what happened. Coach [Ernst] Middendorp then called us senior players and asked, ‘What do you guys think, what is your opinion about George?’ We all gave our opinions. He was a key member of our team, one of the regular players. We all gave our opinions, and coach Middendorp finally made his decision that he still wanted to keep George in the team.
“But I believe once your mind is set elsewhere, you no longer perform well. No matter how hard you try, we are all human, and you will no longer be at your best. The coach would sometimes play him and sometimes not. It actually affected our rhythm and momentum.”
Sundowns’ triumph that season was the third time in a row to lift the PSL title, and they went on to be crowned five more times consecutively.
Parker admits Mosimane got the better of them psychologically.
“Coach Pitso just kept on going. He milked it, he kept on saying, ‘I also want to benefit, why are Chiefs benefitting. Why Chiefs this, why Chiefs that.’ He knew what he was doing at that time, and it worked for him,” continued Parker, who is now an assistant coach at TS Galaxy.
“Football is not only about the physical part of playing, but also the mental part. Pitso found the gap in terms of using the mental part more, and he ended up winning.”
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