Kaizer Chiefs scooped the honours at the first Player and Coach of the Quarter announcement on Monday morning at the Premier Soccer League offices. Striker Bernard Parker and Coach Stuart Baxter were named the Absa Premiership Player and Coach winners for Quarter 1 each winning

R15 000, courtesy of Absa. .

Baxter certainly deserves the plaudits as he led an unbeaten Kaizer Chiefs to the summit of the Absa Premiership with five wins and three draws where the team scored 16 league goals and conceded just 4 times in the Quarter, a huge effort and one that has firmly laid the platform for further success.

A change of management and football philosophy has resulted in a remarkable turnaround for Parker. The striker returned from Europe last season but could only manage four Absa Premiership goals. However, this season, Parker started in superb fashion scoring four times in the club’s first match of the season; a 6-0 demolition of AmaZulu. He added to his tally with a strike against Black Leopards in a 2-1 win for the Amakhosi and he also notched a brace against Bidvest Wits in a 3-1 win at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Absa Sponsorship Manager, Steward Masela, was delighted to announce the quarter 1 winners. “The Absa Premiership season has gripped the entire football community from the very first game of the season and judging from the start we can expect this excitement, passion and determination from the teams to continue as the season unfolds.”

In response Baxter; “We work hard each day, for as long as we continue to work as we do now, I am sure we will do well. Our supporters always have high expectations - same as the media who keep us on our toes by what they publish about our chances of winning the league. We hope that history will not be a factor in who wins the league. The Gold and Black badge is at stake, that’s what matters to us. Any accolade is important as it shows that we are doing something right so far, hence I appreciate the award.”

The Corporate Communication Manager, Vina Maphosa was all smiles commenting after the awards ceremony; “As the Club we would like to congratulate the entire Team for their excellent performance during Q1 of the Q-Innovation and we are confident that they will continue to do well throughout the season. As for the Coach and Bernard they deserve the awards for the role they played and as they have mentioned this is all a demonstration of team work at play at the Club. This should inspire us heading to a Soweto Derby match with Moroka Swallows on Tuesday, 20 November at the Soccer City, kick-off 19:30. Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite/Checkers outlets nationwide for R40 an Adult.”