Vuyo Mere lauds Bernard Parker's influence at TS Galaxy

The now retired 39-year-old former Kaizer Chiefs and FC Twente striker joined the Rockets from Amakhosi in 2022.

He went on to play 36 times, scoring three goals and creating four.

But his influence on the team stretched to more than just his on field performances, explains fellow recently retired veteran Mere.

After joining the Rockets as a player in January 2022, the 41-year-old took charge of the club's DStv Diski Challenge side in July 2024.

He served as assistant coach to Adnan Beganovic in the recently concluded 2024/25 campaign but has since left the Rockets and was replaced by Parker.

Mere told SoccerBeat: "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.

"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."