Parker hits back at Cardoso's 'calendar' claims

TS Galaxy interim coach Bernard Parker has responded to post-match comments made by his Mamelodi Sundowns counterpart, who indicated it was a congested 'calendar' that cost his side against the Rockets.

Parker’s troops registered a vital 3-2 win over Sundowns midweek to not only escape the relegation zone, but also hand a major blow to the Tshwane giants' league title ambitions.

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Speaking to SuperSport TV after the match, Cardoso said his team's congested schedule, which saw them play four matches in the space of 10 days, had ultimately cost them.

However, Parker has hit back, insisting that all the top teams around the world have congested schedules.

"No way... This is what football is about," said the former Kaizer Chiefs striker in an interview on Metro FM's Sports Night Amplified on Wednesday.

"You don’t hear Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Man City talk such because they play week in, week out at high intensity in terms of Champions League football, local cups, and local leagues."

The former Bafana Bafana striker said it's just about refreshing your squad and getting results. He added that a team cannot play the way they want to play throughout the year but it's about planning accurately.

Parker said Galaxy themselves needed to play players from their reserve team in a bid to keep the squad fresh.

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"In our case, we had to plan. We had four games in 10 days with the small squad we have. Hence, we had to bring our DDC players. They helped us win the match."

"If Cardoso was on the winning side, he would have said something different. But this is football, and I just want to wish them all the best in the (CAF Champions League) final."