The Amakhosi shot stopper says there is no need to remind his teammates about what he has achieved in his career
Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has hit back at talk he was fortunate to be included in the Bafana Bafana squad which will do duty in upcoming back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe.
The 33-year-old Amakhosi goal minder has been South Africa‘s number one for the better part of the last decade but has struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons.
And although Khune began his current season in goal for Amakhosi, a dismal performance in a 3-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the first league game of the campaign saw him dropped in favour of Nigerian international Daniel Akpeyi.
Khune hasn’t played since, yet was still named by Bafana Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki as one of three goalkeepers (the others being Ronwen Williams and Darren Keet) in the latest senior national team squad.
When chatting to the media this week, the player claimed he didn’t mind that there have been question marks over his inclusion and says that he thrives under criticism.
“To be quite honest, critics will always be there, and that’s what brings the best out of every player,” Khune was quoted as saying by the Sowetan.
“I think the strong mentality has kept me going since day one. I always turn negativity into positivity, and that has kept me going, and I will continue working hard at club level to gain my confidence back. I was out for nine months, and I cannot be hard on myself.
“The guys know what I have achieved in my career, and there is no need to remind them about that,” he continued.
“They all know, and they draw inspiration from me. I don’t have to get to camp and start being big-headed and looking down on my teammates.
“My presence itself should say a lot. I am not an arrogant player, I am humbled. I think the other guys draw inspiration from me. We are here to work as a team and not as individuals.”
The veteran stopper also believes that his presence will have a settling effect on the squad’s younger members.
“I am happy to be part of the team. There are a lot of youngsters coming into the team, and when they see players like me who are still playing and who have been in the game for more than a decade, they get motivated.”
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