Former Kaizer Chiefs star and TS Galaxy assistant coach Bernard Parker warns of Nedbank Cup giant-killings ahead of Jacksa Spears quarter-final - 'Surprises will always come up, that's the magic'

TS Galaxy assistant coach Bernard Parker is cautious about underestimating lower-division opposition ahead of their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash.

The former Kaizer Chiefs striker was part of the side that suffered a shock defeat to TS Galaxy in the 2019 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Now on the Galaxy bench, Parker is approaching Sunday’s tie against Jacksa Spears at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium with caution to avoid another cup upset.

Reflecting on that dark day for the Glamour Boys, Parker remains aware of how quickly a David can topple a Goliath in South African football.

“Memory does serve me well; I was playing for the defending champions then, and TS Galaxy was playing in the NFD, and they became victorious at Moses Mabhida Stadium,” said Parker, according to TimesLIVE.

“That is just the magic of the Nedbank Cup. Surprises will always come up; it is about making sure you deal well with the moments. Unfortunately, I was on the losing side at that time.”

The former Amakhosi attacker expressed his hunger for silverware in his new capacity and is determined to ensure the Rockets do not become the victims of the same giant-killing spirit they once pioneered.

“But this time around, I want to be on the winning side as a coach. I want to get the Nedbank Cup medal as a coach, and I know it is possible,” he added.

While Galaxy famously lifted the trophy as an underdog side, the current crop of players is largely inexperienced when it comes to the business end of cup competitions. Parker noted that the squad has evolved significantly since that historic triumph over the Soweto giants.

“Within the current members of the TS Galaxy squad, it is only McBeth Mahlangu who was part of that team that beat Chiefs in the final,” he explained.

“The rest of the guys are fairly new, and they have not tasted cup success yet with TS Galaxy. What is of importance for us is to make sure we can repeat history.”

Despite the lack of mainstream exposure for Spears, the TS Galaxy technical team has done their homework to ensure there are no tactical surprises on Sunday afternoon.

“We don’t have much about them; our analysts have gathered the necessary information about them. We are satisfied with the amount of footage and information we have of them,” Parker said.

“We are well prepared as the technical team, and we just have to make sure that we make players aware of what to expect on the day.”