With a remarkable career spanning over 15 years, Kaizer Chiefs icon Itumeleng Khune stands as a role model for aspiring footballers. Drawing from his own journey, Khune has shared some hard truths about player agents and the importance of financial awareness.
Khune’s Take on Player Agents: Look Out for Your Own Interests
Hailing from Ventersdorp, Khune revealed at a Nedbank Cup press briefing that many players place too much trust in agents, who often prioritize their own gains over the player’s well-being.
“I believe understanding your finances is crucial because as players, we tend to rely heavily on agents,” Khune explained.
He added, “Towards the latter part of my career, I stopped working with an agent, and I noticed my bank account grew significantly. While I had an agent, I thought they were managing everything for me, but all they did was get me to sign long contracts — a three-year deal with the club and a two-year deal with them.”
Khune went on to describe how agents juggle multiple players, especially goalkeepers, making decisions based on what suits the agent rather than the player.
“Agents have several players on their books. When a club wants a goalkeeper, the agent picks from his list without focusing on any one player,” he said.
The legendary goalkeeper concluded with a strong message: “If I had understood this earlier, I’d be much further in my career by now. Players always turn to agents for advice, but many agents only think about their own pockets.”
Khune’s candid words serve as a valuable lesson for young players to take control of their careers and finances, rather than blindly trusting agents.
