Khune advises Kaizer Chiefs how to overcome derby heartbreak

Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune has opened up about the intense criticism and “vile insults” he faced from supporters following the club’s 2011 MTN8 final loss to arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

The veteran goalkeeper, who made nearly 350 appearances for his boyhood club, recently voiced his own disappointment with the current Amakhosi squad.

Following their 3-0 Soweto Derby defeat on February 28, Khune accused the players of showing “total disrespect” to the club’s chairman, brand, legends, and fans.

Khune on dealing with Kaizer Chiefs criticism

Kaizer Chiefs Itumeleng Khune celebrates in goal. — Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune celebrates in goal. Photo – Imago

Speaking to eNCA, Khune reflected on how he handled a similar wave of negativity directed at him after the 2011 final, where a long-range strike from Oupa Manyisa sealed the win for Pirates.

“Distractions almost destroyed me,” Khune admitted as quoted by iDiski Times. “In 2011, I think we lost the final to Pirates at FNB, the MTN8… As soon as I got to the change room, I took my phone and was looking at the comments. People were swearing at me.”

The backlash prompted him to take immediate action to protect his mental well-being. “I deleted my app. I was like, ‘This is the distraction I don’t want.’ The more I kept opening these apps, people were swearing at me, swearing at my mother,” he recalled.

Kaizer Chiefs legend restrained himself

Kaizer Chiefs great Itumeleng Khune saves for Bafana Bafana. Photo – Imago

Khune explained that his leadership roles for both club and country prevented him from retaliating. “Fortunately, the position I was in, I couldn’t swear back. I’m the captain of the club, I’m the captain of the national team,” he said. “The only thing to do, and the easiest, was to delete the apps.”

The former Bafana Bafana captain noted that the experience was a harsh lesson in the fickle nature of fan support.

“I was used to people praising me, giving me my flowers,” he added. “But now, we just lost the MTN8 final. R8 million gone, bragging rights gone. Now, people are expressing themselves in a way that I’m not used to. It was not easy. It had to take that one game for one to see that people can turn against you at any given time.”