Posted in News on Sep 06, 2011.
“As footballers we always stay focused on the task at hand. We know what’s at stake on Saturday and we are able to shift our attention to our club duty once more,” said Parker when quizzed about his overall readiness for the Cup Final.
Tuesday’s morning session was the first session for Parker and six other Chiefs players.
“It was a good session on Tuesday morning, although conditions were a bit warm. The guys who were away on international duty did a lot of recovery work and I felt fine after the session. On Wednesday we are expecting to resume normal training.”
Should Parker get to play on Saturday it will be his first appearance in an official Soweto Derby match and he is relishing the prospect of playing in what will also be his first domestic cup final in South Africa.
“I am both nervous and excited about the final. I have watched Chiefs and Pirates matches in the past and the games always looked intense.
“Some of the guys I have spoken to have told me that the Derby games against Pirates are always tough matches to be involved in. I have an idea as to what is expected of the players in the derby and what is at stake when these two giants meet.
“We will try to make the Chiefs fans happy by getting a win. As players we know what these games mean to them. Fans look forward to Derby games. When local rivals meet, one group of fans is always looking to revel in their teams success after the game. Hopefully it will be our fans who will be able to celebrate and go to work happy on Monday.”
On a personal level, Parker is not looking for any personal glory in the Cup Final and his main aim is to be a contributor to the team’s success. “I might not have scored so far this season but I am not stressed about it.
“What I am definitely focused on is that the team wins. Scoring will come automatically and if I do score in the Cup final it will be a major boost for my confidence. My major objective though is to ensure that as a team we pick up the right result.”
