Kaizer Chiefs legendary goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, finds himself in one of the most difficult conundrums for any footballer, where he has to decide whether to follow his head or his heart. The former Bafana Bafana skipper has a big decision to make on his career and, the closer we get to the end of the season, the sooner he must pronounce on his future. This is a decision he’s probably been spending sleepless nights on, wishing he didn’t have to face such a tricky situation.
The Ventersdorp-born footballer must either agree with the Amakhosi hierarchy and call time on his illustrious career or defy them by leaving the club to go elsewhere in search of game-time. This catch-22 emanates from the club’s official position that this is Khune’s last professional contract with the club as an active player, following their official statement upon extending his contract, while Khune himself, a few weeks later, went on the record confirming that he was not ready to retire and that he was not going to be told by anyone when it was time to hang up his gloves. In essence, Itu made it clear that this was not his last season, which goes completely against the club’s official standpoint. Will Itu hang up his gloves, join the Naturena-based club’s staff or will he find a new home, 20 years after walking into the Village as a no-name prospect who went on to become one of the best to ever come out of the club’s ranks?
Once again, Amakhosi are on the record stating that Khune would play no further part in the team beyond this season, as they made it clear this was his last contract. This gives an indication that, if Itu doesn’t get a run between now and May 25, he would have finished his Chiefs career. There has been confusion because of the different assertions from both parties as Amakhosi announced their one-year extension with Khune following up with his ‘I’m not retiring’ remark. Itu went on to, rightfully so, imply that no one was going to force him into retirement and that he would do so on his own terms. That issue has not been “resolved” because there’s been dead silence on the opposing views since Itu’s public statements to the media. He is yet to make any official statement on his future nor have Amakhosi said anything since their last press statement on the matter. The two parties, based on what happened, seemed to be singing from two different hymn books. One would have expected that the Amakhosi powers-that-be and their longest- serving member of the squad would’ve agreed on the terms of the contract before that statement.
