Itumeleng Khune urges Kaizer Chiefs to trust South African talent going forward.
The Glamour Boys continue to grapple with a goalkeeping crisis, and club legend Khune believes he knows exactly how to fix it. Chiefs, once a powerhouse of South African football, have struggled to find a reliable number one since Khune’s golden years came to a close.
In a desperate bid to plug the gap, Chiefs signed Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari. However, after a shaky start to the season, Bruce Bvuma replaced him and with almost one-third of the season now behind them, the situation remains far from stable.
The numbers paint a grim picture, Chiefs have conceded a staggering 29 goals in just 24 league matches. Shockingly, they have let in more goals than SuperSport United, a team languishing in 15th place on the Premiership table.
Khune calls for a SA goalkeeper coach to restore Chiefs’ glory
Speaking in an interview on the TimesLIVE YouTube channel, Khune didn’t mince his words. He believes the answer lies not just in the players, but in the coaching staff.
“What is happening at Chiefs is heart-breaking for any Chiefs fan, because this is not what we’re used to. Remember, if you look back, Chiefs have always produced great goalkeepers and you knew there’s a number one and number two was not far off from number one,” Khune said.
Khune stressed that foreign influence in the goalkeeper department has stunted local development and hurt the national team.
“But with the current generation, there’s a big gap, we lack goalkeeper coaches. Foreigners occupy the number one, what does it do for our national team? When Ronwen (Williams) is not fit, we struggle (only) now Sipho Chaine is coming into the picture,” he explained.
“You need a goalkeeper coach who is South African, who will push you to almost Ronwen’s level, that’s what used to happen at Chiefs. There was a season Brian Baloyi and Rowen Fernandez were rotating, competition was tight. After them, our generation, myself, Brilliant (Khuzwayo) and Reyaad Pieterse, we were not far off. The number one priority was clean sheets. The current generation, I don’t know what’s happening, if they’re pushing each other,” Khune added.
Local coaching success stories show the way forward
Khune’s point finds solid backing in recent success stories. Orlando Pirates’ current number two, Sipho Chaine, has flourished under the guidance of South African coach Tyron Damons. Similarly, Wendell Robinson, who served Mamelodi Sundowns for over a decade until December last year, played a crucial role in nurturing some of the PSL’s finest goalkeepers.
The evidence is clear, when South African hands guide the next generation, the results speak for themselves.
Stay tuned with The South African as Itumeleng Khune urges Kaizer Chiefs to trust South African talent.
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