Itumeleng Khune Advocates for Specialized Striker Coaches to Improve South African Football

Itumeleng Khune, a famous former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper, thinks South African football should have special coaches for strikers to help improve how well they score goals. Khune, who is known for his great skills and leadership as a goalkeeper, is worried about how often attackers miss chances in the Betway Premiership.

This season, Orlando Pirates’ Evidence Makgopa leads the scoring charts with just four goals, followed by Mamelodi Sundowns’ Iqraam Rayners and Lucas Ribeiro, and Kaizer Chiefs’ Mduduzi Tshabalala, each with three goals. In contrast, top strikers in Europe’s Premier League, like those in England, are already in double figures after just eight games.

Khune, who is 37 years old, talked to Soccer Laduma about his worries. He said, “The number of goals scored is really low, and I don’t understand how these players can feel proud walking around.” He noticed that in Europe, strikers usually score many goals by this time in the season, which shows how much better they are at scoring.

Khune thinks that by teaching players how to properly finish chances, having dedicated trainers for attackers could help address this issue. After each training session, Khune clarified, "Striker coaches should be focused on the specific needs of attacking players, helping them work on their finishing."

Khune drew comparisons to goalkeepers, stressing that strikers should spend time honing their finishing skills, just as keepers work with their coaches on areas of growth.

Khune has been working as a commentator since his contract with the Chiefs expired, but he is still confident in his ability to contribute on the field if the chance presents itself.