Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune has opened up on the emotional toll he went through when he was told that his contract at the club would not be extended.
Chiefs ended Khune’s 25-year playing career at the club with a big call when they decided against extending his stay, following the conclusion of his deal in June, and instead made him an ambassador while also giving him a role in the marketing department.
However, Khune says the days after the meeting with the club hierarchy, when news of his playing career at Naturena ending was broken to him, were tough, admitting it was hard to accept that he would no longer don the famous gold and black jersey.
“I can’t control how I feel the next morning, I always wake up feeling different, the first couple of weeks after the meetings with the club, it wasn’t easy for me, I was crying in bed for two straight weeks,” Khune said on Wednesday.
Khune drawing inspiration from Sundowns veteran
“I was not understanding what was happening. I was given respect though for a sit down with the club who provided their plan going forward, but I was not part of that as a footballer.”
The 38-year-old goalkeeper feels he still has quality to play and has not given up hope of returning in goal, drawing inspiration from Mamelodi Sundowns veteran Dennis Onyango, who is still going strong at 39.
“I didn’t believe it… when I heard this news. I want to play longer, into my 40s, that’s why I am still hopeful but again, my heart, I cannot control. I feel I can go back tomorrow and play, the next day I wake up with pains everywhere and think it’s fine let’s leave it,” added Khune.
“The passion and love for the game is still there, I can still deliver when called upon, look at Dennis Onyango, I’m younger than him and he’s still playing at Sundowns.”
Will we see the Kaizer Chiefs legend in goal again?
Khune was speaking after being unveiled as the face of TopBet, a betting firm in which he has a stake in. The veteran is hopeful that his venture will pay off but he is confident it can still run without him if he gets an opportunity to play competitive football.
“What’s nice about it is that the business is mine and if I still want to go back on the field, I can still make that call, we can get ambassadors who can do what I am doing going forward, growing the business,” said Kune.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal for me to make an announcement, whether I make it or not, for me, at the end of the day, life has to go on.”
Khune, South Africa’s second most capped player with 92 appearances, spent 25 years at Chiefs where he won 12 trophies, among them three league titles, while making 347 appearances in all competitions.
