Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has revealed what Stuart Baxter told him when he lost the No.1 spot under the Englishman.
Khune, 35, has returned between the sticks for the Amakhosi, starting the last two games under coach Arthur Zwane.
That’s already one more than he started last season under Baxter and now opened up on the talk when the former Chiefs coach told him about his change in role.
“He did explain, I think we were playing a CAF match in Morocco. His first game in charge,” Khune told Thabiso Mosia on SAFM SportOn.
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“He did call me after dinner and said ‘Itu things are not going to be the same like six years ago when I was here. I appreciate the fact that you led the team to winning four trophies in my first stint and now your role is going to be different. I’ve got young goalkeepers, I want you to mentor and help to get to your level’ and I took it positively.
“I’ve never complained to the media that I’m not playing, I’ve never complained to anyone saying ‘he doesn’t play me now and I’ve won him four trophies’, no.
“What we do, we do it for the club, we’re not doing it for individuals. If the coach decides that ‘Itu is not going to be No.1’, yes he has created competition among the team and Itu has to bring his A plus game every day to make sure that he gets the No.1 spot.
“I think that’s what brought he best out of me, to be patient, to work hard and to get the votes that I got to represent Gauteng in the [DStv] Compact Cup and I still showed that I can still play at the highest level and I respected the coach’s decision.”
This season, though, Khune has seemingly convinced Zwane to still have what it takes to lead the club from the back.
“Again with coach Arthur I’m working hard, I didn’t expect that ‘ok, come the beginning of the season I’m going to be No.1’,” he added.
“There is great competition and we all have to accept it. The coach’s decision has to be accepted.”
Khune wrote his name in the club’s history books with his appearance in the MTN8 quarter-final, as he’s now made at least one appearance for the Glamour Boys for the club in 16 successive seasons in the Premier Soccer League era (since 1996/97).
