Kaizer Chiefs legend goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has delivered a stark warning to aspiring players about the pitfalls and potential dark side of football agents.
The former Bafana Bafana international forged his legendary career with Chiefs, spending over two decades at the club after joining as a youngster from Ventersdorp, North West, in 1999.
Khune captivated football fans with his exceptional reflex saves and impressive ball-playing ability, garnering widespread acclaim.
Prior to Chiefs’ recent Nedbank Cup success, the 37-year-old was the last goalkeeper to win silverware for the club, having secured both the league title and the MTN8 trophy during the 2014/15 season.
The Glamour Boys ended their decade-long trophy drought after defeating Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Khune has been a free agent since parting ways with the Soweto giants after the expiry of his contract in June 2024.
WHAT ITUMELENG KHUNE SAID ABOUT FOOTBALL AGENTS
Reflecting on his glowing career, the talented shotstopper took a moment to advise youngsters to consider investments rather than relying on football agents for financial literacy.
“I think learning about finances is very important because, as footballers, we tend to think that we have agents,” Khune said at the Nedbank Cup gala dinner in Durban.
“I don’t mean to downgrade the agents or talk bad, but towards the end of my career, I stopped having an agent, and I started seeing growth in my bank account. When I was still under an agency, I thought they were doing the job, but all they did was to come and sign a three-year contract with the team, and you sign a two-year contract with them.
“So they get their share of money, and they forget completely about you because you’re not their only player. They would rather have five different goalkeepers, playing for different teams.
“And when a club approaches an agent and says we need a goalkeeper, he has to choose from the five as to which one he is taking.
“So I feel like agents have wasted my time, and if I knew that at a young age, I would be far by now. Players always run to agents for advice, yet agents only think of their pockets.”
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