Kaizer Chiefs star Bernard Parker happy to be back training with the rest of his teammates

Kaizer Chiefs attacker Bernard Parker is delighted to be back training with the rest of his team-mates after more than 100 days in limbo as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19.

“It really feels good to be back at training‚” he said after his second session at the club’s base in Naturena.

“This virus caught us all off-guard. I was so used to training at the High Performance Centre at the village‚ often working out extra‚ and never acquired a treadmill at home.

"Luckily‚ I have a nice garden‚ so I worked out in the garden‚ doing a lot of running and all kinds of other exercises.

"It’s also great to be with your teammates again‚ it’s like a breath of fresh air.”

Parker said they are adhering to coronavirus protocols of social distancing at training where they are focusing mostly on fitness and ball-work.

He is hoping for the go-ahead to complete the season.

“However‚ we will take it one step at a time‚" he said.

"At present‚ I am just happy to be back on the field. It was interesting to watch the Italian Serie A‚ the Spanish La Liga and the English Premier League.

"It’s quite intelligent how they try to create an atmosphere in the stadium for the viewers by using audio of supporters singing and giving the impression that there are fans in the stadium‚ as they do with the La Liga games.

“It’s also noteworthy to see that the top sides‚ who have the best players‚ seem to perform the best.

"That says a lot about their mental approach to the game. Look at Real Madrid‚ who have really been doing great since the restart‚ thanks to the players’ mental strength.”

Parker spoke of his admiration of Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus in Italy.

“It’s nice to see how he takes his leadership role seriously. Ronaldo has that winning mentality and it rubs off on his teammates.

"It’s a lesson for us as well. To be able keep our momentum‚ we need to be strong mentally. That’s going to be crucial when the league resumes.”