Highlands Park vs Kaizer Chiefs

Itumeleng Khune of Kaizer Chiefs during Kaizer Chiefs Media Day on 13 February 2020 at Kaizer Chiefs Village, Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs latest | Why Itumeleng Khune’s return excites Gavin Hunt

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt said Itumeleng Khune was in good spirit when he returned from his extended leave last week.

Highlands Park vs Kaizer Chiefs

Itumeleng Khune of Kaizer Chiefs during Kaizer Chiefs Media Day on 13 February 2020 at Kaizer Chiefs Village, Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt said Itumeleng Khune was in good spirit when he returned from his extended leave last week.

Khune was given some time off to mourn the passing of his sister Mapula, and while his return was kept a secret, Hunt said the goalkeeper trained with Chiefs a few days before the Soweto derby.

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“He is back now and seems in good spirit and he went away to the Bafana Bafana camp,” Hunt told reporters.  

“Khune trained with us the last two or three days and before the game to do a little bit [of work],” he said.

What makes Hunt happy is that Khune, who is with Bafana Bafana for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan, is that he will get to train for a week.

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Hunt further revealed that Chiefs will play a friendly match this week and he admitted that he would have liked to have Khune for the said game.  

“I’m happy he’ll have a full week of training with Bafana. If he gets to play, I don’t know. We got a friendly this week and I would have liked him to play but he’s not going to be here, but it is okay,” added Hunt.

Hunt was asked how Khune was coping, and without going into details, the coach said the period has been stressful for the experienced shot-stopper.

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However, he assured the public that Chiefs will help the 33-year-old deal with his loss and be in the right frame of mind to compete again.  

“It has been stressing time for him and I mean I don’t have to say it. What he has been through, I don’t want to talk about it. The club is here to help him tremendously, that’s all I can say,” concluded Hunt.