Chiefs’ new players know what’s expected – Parker

Veteran Kaizer Chiefs striker, Bernard Parker says the club’s new recruits have been made aware of what is expected of them ahead of a mammoth season where Amakhosi need to turn the tide against a four-year drought.

“The new recruits are happy to be here. They are bringing a lot of experience from where they were. They played at good teams as well,” said Parker on Wednesday morning.

“They have brought some kind of competitive energy into the team. We have upped our work ethic as well. It is good for competition in the team,” he added.

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Amakhosi have brought in the likes of James Kotei, Lazarous Kambole, Kyrean Baccus and Samir Nurkovic ahead of the start of the new season. Although only Kambole has been voted into the starting teams for the Carling Cup against old rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the other three might get some action as substitutes later on.

They joined an Amakhosi side who are under tremendous pressure in the upcoming season and Parker said they have been made aware of the expectations.

“Yes, they do understand (what they are in for). We have done a lot of work in pre-season not only on the field but also on the mental part of football. They have said ‘yes’, and they do understand that we have not won anything in the past four years. They are here to definitely add value and to win things with the club.

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“We as senior players have welcomed them well and explained to them that they need to come in and help us. We have told them of the direction the club needs to take and where we need to be,” said the 33-year-old.

“They haven’t showed anything less. They have been on top of their performances. The synergy and energy towards what we are looking at. They have been more or less a preference and that is a wake-up call for the rest of the guys who have been here longer that they need to stand up, own up and take charge and do what needs to be done,” said Parker.

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