Itumeleng Khune
Encyclopedia
Itumeleng Khune is a South Africa
n footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League
, as well as the South African national team
. He has the nickname: "The Koon"
idolising Nicky Boje
.
He eventually decided to pursue a career in football to earn a living for him and his family.
His younger brother Lucky Khune plays as a striker for Chiefs.
when he arrived for trials at Chiefs in 1999, but assumed the gloves by chance after he experienced chest problems during a junior game and found himself being reduced to a ball boy
. Diving for balls that had missed the target he caught the attention of youth coach Terror Sephoa who converted him to a goalkeeper. In 2004 he was promoted to the first team.
After three years of waiting to get any game time, Itumeleng finally got his opportunity in the early stages of the 2007-08 season after the departure of number one goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez
to German
club Arminia Bielefeld
. With the experienced Emile Baron
often plagued by injuries, Khune was made number one by then Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral
. He made his PSL debut against Jomo Cosmos
on August 25, 2007. His first season in the top-flight was highly successful as several match-winning displays for his side earned him a host of individual awards with Chiefs having the best defensive record in the league conceding only 19 goals in 30 games.
In his second season he often struggled to regain the form and consistency of the previous season even though Chiefs managed to finish third in the standings and win the MTN 8
.
During the 2009-10 season a finger injury sidelined Khune for three months giving understudy Arthur Bartman
a chance to play regularly in his absence.
on March 11, 2008. He had since become the preferred choice in goal by former South Africa coach Joel Santana
.
Khune was the first-choice goalkeeper in South Africa's squad at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
where he saved a penalty against Spanish star David Villa
in the group stages.
Khune was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
as Carlos Alberto Parreira
's first-choice goalkeeper and made some good saves in the opening match against Mexico
. However on 16 June 2010 he was sent off against Uruguay
when he tripped Luis Suárez
inside the penalty area in the 77th minute. He became the second goalkeeper to be sent off in the history of the FIFA World Cup, joining Gianluca Pagliuca who saw red in 1994
. Khune subsequently missed South Africa's final group game against France, where Moeneeb Josephs
deputised as Bafana Bafana won 2-1 to restore some pride as they became the first host nation to exit the tournament at the opening stage. After the World Cup he regained his number one spot in the team and he has kept three consecutive clean sheets on international level.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League
Premier Soccer League
Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa. The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA...
, as well as the South African national team
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
. He has the nickname: "The Koon"
Early & personal life
Khune hails from Tshing near Ventersdorp in the North West. He grew up in a family of six in which his father, a mineworker in one of Ventersdorp’s mines, was the sole breadwinner. Unlike many South African players who cite kicking a soccer ball on their hometown's dusty streets as their starting point, Khune was in love with cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
idolising Nicky Boje
Nicky Boje
Nico "Nicky" Boje is a South African cricketer who played in 43 Tests and 115 One Day Internationals for South Africa, and attended Grey College in Bloemfontein...
.
He eventually decided to pursue a career in football to earn a living for him and his family.
His younger brother Lucky Khune plays as a striker for Chiefs.
Club career
Khune started out as a defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
when he arrived for trials at Chiefs in 1999, but assumed the gloves by chance after he experienced chest problems during a junior game and found himself being reduced to a ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
. Diving for balls that had missed the target he caught the attention of youth coach Terror Sephoa who converted him to a goalkeeper. In 2004 he was promoted to the first team.
After three years of waiting to get any game time, Itumeleng finally got his opportunity in the early stages of the 2007-08 season after the departure of number one goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez
Rowen Fernandez
Rowen Fernández is a South African footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Supersport United in the South African Premier Soccer League, as well as the South African national team...
to German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
club Arminia Bielefeld
Arminia Bielefeld
DSC Arminia Bielefeld is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia offers the sports of football, field hockey, figure skating and cue sports. The club has 11,394 members and the club colours are black, white and blue...
. With the experienced Emile Baron
Emile Baron
Emile Baron is a South African football goalkeeper for Bidvest Wits in the Premier Soccer League and South Africa.-International career:...
often plagued by injuries, Khune was made number one by then Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral
Muhsin Ertugral
Muhsin Ertuğral is a Turkish football coach. He speaks German, Turkish and English fluently. He grew up in Cologne, Germany.Ertuğral is most notable for coaching in Africa.-Coaching career:...
. He made his PSL debut against Jomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
on August 25, 2007. His first season in the top-flight was highly successful as several match-winning displays for his side earned him a host of individual awards with Chiefs having the best defensive record in the league conceding only 19 goals in 30 games.
In his second season he often struggled to regain the form and consistency of the previous season even though Chiefs managed to finish third in the standings and win the MTN 8
MTN 8
The MTN 8 is the current name of South Africa's oldest football cup competition. It is made up of the top eight teams that finished in that order at the close of the ABSA Premiership season...
.
During the 2009-10 season a finger injury sidelined Khune for three months giving understudy Arthur Bartman
Arthur Bartman
Arthur Bartman is a South African football goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League.*Joined Chiefs: 2009...
a chance to play regularly in his absence.
International career
He was part of Bafana Bafana's 2008 African Nations Cup squad but was not fielded until he made his international debut against ZimbabweZimbabwe national football team
The Zimbabwe national football team, nicknamed The Warriors, is the national team of Zimbabwe and is controlled by the Zimbabwe Football Association. They were known as the Southern Rhodesia national football team from 1939–1964, then the Rhodesia national football team until 1980, when Rhodesia...
on March 11, 2008. He had since become the preferred choice in goal by former South Africa coach Joel Santana
Joel Santana
Joel Natalino Santana is a Brazilian football head coach and former football player. He is the current head coach of Bahia.-Biography:...
.
Khune was the first-choice goalkeeper in South Africa's squad at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
where he saved a penalty against Spanish star David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
in the group stages.
Khune was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
as Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira is a Brazilian former football manager. He managed Brazil to championships at the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Copa América, and the 2005 Confederations Cup...
's first-choice goalkeeper and made some good saves in the opening match against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
. However on 16 June 2010 he was sent off against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
when he tripped Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
inside the penalty area in the 77th minute. He became the second goalkeeper to be sent off in the history of the FIFA World Cup, joining Gianluca Pagliuca who saw red in 1994
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
. Khune subsequently missed South Africa's final group game against France, where Moeneeb Josephs
Moeneeb Josephs
Moeneeb Josephs , is a South African soccer goalkeeper who plays for Orlando Pirates and South Africa.Josephs is a highly-rated goalkeeper in South Africa...
deputised as Bafana Bafana won 2-1 to restore some pride as they became the first host nation to exit the tournament at the opening stage. After the World Cup he regained his number one spot in the team and he has kept three consecutive clean sheets on international level.
Club
- Premier Soccer LeaguePremier Soccer LeaguePremier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa. The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA...
2004-05 - ABSA Cup 2006
- Coca-Cola CupTelkom KnockoutThe Telkom Knockout is a football knockout competition which comprises the 16 teams in the South African Premier Soccer League.It was started in 1992, called the Coca-Cola Cup and was played until 1996, when it was replaced by the Rothmans Cup which was changed back to the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001...
2004 - SAA Supa 8 2006
- Telkom KnockoutTelkom KnockoutThe Telkom Knockout is a football knockout competition which comprises the 16 teams in the South African Premier Soccer League.It was started in 1992, called the Coca-Cola Cup and was played until 1996, when it was replaced by the Rothmans Cup which was changed back to the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001...
2007, 2010, 2011 - MTN 8MTN 8The MTN 8 is the current name of South Africa's oldest football cup competition. It is made up of the top eight teams that finished in that order at the close of the ABSA Premiership season...
2008
Personal
- PSL Players' Player of the SeasonPSL Players' Player of the SeasonThe PSL Players' Player of the Season in South African football is awarded to the most outstanding player of the season. The award is decided by a vote of all the active footballers in the PSL....
2007-08 - PSL Club Rookie of the YearPSL Club Rookie of the YearThe Jet PSL Club Rookie of the Year in South African football is awarded to the most outstanding rookie of the season. To be considered a rookie, a player must be in his first year in the PSL. The award was established in 2001 and is sponsored by Jet....
2007-08 - SA Sports Awards Newcomer of the Year 2008
- Telkom KnockoutTelkom KnockoutThe Telkom Knockout is a football knockout competition which comprises the 16 teams in the South African Premier Soccer League.It was started in 1992, called the Coca-Cola Cup and was played until 1996, when it was replaced by the Rothmans Cup which was changed back to the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001...
Player of the Tournament 2007 - Telkom KnockoutTelkom KnockoutThe Telkom Knockout is a football knockout competition which comprises the 16 teams in the South African Premier Soccer League.It was started in 1992, called the Coca-Cola Cup and was played until 1996, when it was replaced by the Rothmans Cup which was changed back to the Coca-Cola Cup in 2001...
Goalkeeper of the Tournament 2007 - Premier Soccer LeaguePremier Soccer LeaguePremier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League of South Africa. The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA...
Goalkeeper of the Season 2007-08 - Kaizer Chiefs Player of the Season 2007-08
- Kaizer Chiefs Player's Player of the Season 2007-08
External links
- Career history at National Football Teams