Itumeleng Khune’s future at Kaizer Chiefs has been a hot topic. With his contract expiring and recent challenges, a former Amakhosi goalie has shared his thoughts on whether Khune can still contribute to the club.
Khune’s playing career at Chiefs is set to wind down after this season. A few months ago, Amakhosi announced that starting in the 2024/25 season, the veteran goalkeeper would be roped in as a coach and in the marketing division with an ambassadorial role.
However, in one of the press conferences, the 36-year-old expressed a strong desire to keep playing the beautiful game, as Khune believes he still has a lot to offer.
In the current campaign, Khune’s fight for the starting position has been hampered by two things: injuries and a disciplinary issue. As previously reported by FARPost, he arrived for training at Naturena under the influence of alcohol, which led to a three-month suspension that ended in 2023 December
Khune, who was also stripped of the club’s captaincy, has made five appearances in all competitions. His last appearance was in November 2023 against Orlando Pirates in the league. He has failed to keep a single clean sheet and has conceded six goals.
WILLIAM SHONGWE ON WHETHER ITUMELENG KHUNE IS STILL NEEDED AT THE CLUB
In an interview with FARPost, Shongwe said that he believes that the former Bafana Bafana No.1, Khune, still has one or two good seasons to offer. “For me, I think Khune still has the quality to offer,” he said.
“Some goalkeepers play until they are 40 internationally that’s the case. As Khune was, if he has an opportunity, I will say, ‘Go, go prove yourself with another team. If Chiefs are dropping you, maybe you’re not good enough, go play somewhere and see what happens’.
“It’s not a doubt; with his ability, you expect him to save the team. I think performance also speaks volumes; in the case of Khune, there were times when he didn’t perform as expected.
“As a player you set a benchmark for yourself, people will judge you on that. Anything else is considered poor; that’s the situation Khune finds himself in. Now he has to prove himself, play against himself, unfortunately that has never happened,” added Shongwe.
RELATED STORY: Khune to play one last season for Chiefs
