‘We are still shell shocked,’ says Khune of new Chiefs players

Itumeleng Khune sounded frustrated that at training he sees a different Kaizer Chiefs players to those who take to the field on match days. 

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The veteran keeper says at training the team does everything so well that he gets an impression that come match day, they will easily get past any opponent. 

But he feels that disappears and he has suggested that that could be because of stage fright for some of the team’s latest recruits. 

“At training everyone is doing well in their respective positions. But during matches I don’t know what tends to get into our heads,” said Khune earnestly this week. 

“I think we don’t give what we give here at training. That is something we need to work on and improve.”

Chiefs start to the new season has been one to forget and resulted in calls for changes to be made to the technical team. 

Amakhosi are currently 14th in the DStv standings with eight points after seven games. And Khune, who has been with Chiefs through some good times in his early career at the club, says it is not nice to experience the current downward spiral. 

“It’s affecting me badly,” he confesses. “Every player has his role and responsibility to play in making sure the club goes back to the glory days. 

“For now we are still… I don’t know whether to call it star struck or we don’t believe that we are finally at Kaizer Chiefs – we have not come out of our shells.

“We need to realise that we are now at Kaizer Chiefs and start performing like Kaizer Chiefs players. The fans demand results and consistency. That is something we need to realise as individuals,” added Khune. 

Some have put the team’s decline over the past few years to the club’s recruitment policy. When this was put to Khune, he said he would not be able to comment much. 

“Not really,” he said when asked if Chiefs are recruiting the wrong players. “I can’t comment much on the club’s recruitment policy, but all we have to do as senior players is welcome everyone who comes to the club and teach them the culture so that they can fit it and take the club to the next level.”

Chiefs meet SuperSport United in their next game on Saturday night at FNB Stadium, a game Khune said he hopes they finally come out of their shells and put up a performance worthy of Amakhosi.