Hunt explains inclusion of ‘important’ Khune in his Caf Champions League squad

Having been out of the team for the last couple of weeks, Itumeleng Khune makes a return to the Kaizer Chiefs side as he is named among the 18 players who will travel to Morocco on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Khune included in Chiefs squad for Morocco trip

Amakhosi have a difficult appointment with Moroccan giants, Wydad Athletic in their first Caf Champions League group stages match set for the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca on Saturday.

Khune has been on the sidelines in the Amakhosi team since he made consecutive mistakes in DStv Premiership games against Black Leopards and SuperSport United last month.

Asked recently about the goalkeeper’s situation in the team, Chiefs coach, Gavin Hunt said he needed to work harder to earn his place back.

And it would seem the 32-year-old Bafana Bafana international has done enough since Monday to be considered for the trip to Morocco. Khune was not in the matchday squad for last weekend’s defeat to minnows, Richards Bay.

“He’s very important, knowing that we’ve got someone of that calibre pushing to get into the team (is good). So he’s very important.

“(But) He’s like any other player, he’s got to work hard. There is no entitlement for any position for any player in any team in the world.

“So he’s working hard. He’s doing well, and when his chance comes again hopefully he grabs it. That’s all I can say on that,” Hunt said last week.

Khune’s extensive experience may have been the reason he was brought back as he has travelled across the continent with Bafana Bafana before.

And Daniel Akpeyi may be a little unsettled after last weekend’s blunder that led to Richards Bay’s first goal. He failed to catch the ball and it fell kindly for a Bay player to send it into the open net.

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