Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune has urged the club to focus on nurturing South African goalkeeping talent as they continue to struggle with their goalkeeper crisis.
Once a dominant force in South African football, Chiefs have been unable to find a dependable number one since Khune’s peak years. In an effort to fill the void, the club signed Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari. However, after a rocky start to the season, Bruce Bvuma took over, yet the situation remains unstable with the season already well underway.
Chiefs’ Defensive Woes Continue
The stats speak volumes: Chiefs have conceded 29 goals in just 24 league matches. In fact, they’ve let in more goals than SuperSport United, who are currently in 15th place on the Premiership table.
Khune’s Call for Change
Speaking on the TimesLIVE YouTube channel, Khune didn’t hold back. He believes the key to Chiefs’ recovery lies not just in player performances, but in rethinking their goalkeeper coaching setup.
“What’s happening at Chiefs is heartbreaking for any fan because this is not what we’re used to. Chiefs have always produced top-quality goalkeepers, and you knew who your number one and number two were,” Khune said.
He believes foreign influence in the goalkeeping department has hindered the development of local talent, impacting both Chiefs and the national team.
A South African Solution
Khune argued that the solution lies in hiring a South African goalkeeper coach to help local players reach their full potential. He pointed to the competition that used to exist between Chiefs’ top keepers as an example.
“You need a South African goalkeeper coach who will push you to the level of someone like Ronwen Williams. That’s what used to happen at Chiefs. The competition was fierce between Brian Baloyi, Rowen Fernandez, myself, Brilliant Khuzwayo, and Reyaad Pieterse. The number one priority was clean sheets. I don’t know if that spirit exists in the current squad,” Khune explained.
Local Success Stories Prove His Point
Khune’s comments are supported by the success of local coaches who have nurtured top-tier goalkeeping talent. Sipho Chaine, currently Orlando Pirates’ second-choice goalkeeper, has thrived under South African coach Tyron Damons. Similarly, Wendell Robinson, who served as Mamelodi Sundowns’ goalkeeping coach for over a decade, played a crucial role in developing some of the league’s finest keepers.
The proof is in the results — when South African coaches lead, the outcomes speak for themselves.
