Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has been the undisputed number one for club and country for the best part of a decade now, fighting off competition from numerous pretenders to his throne. But what sets khune apart from the rest? KICK OFF spoke to his former goalkeeper coach and mentor at Naturena Rainer Dinkelacker about how a teenage who dreamed of being a stiker rose to arguably the finest gloveman the country has ever seen
Rainer Dinkelacker was a key figure in the rise of Itumeleng Khune, mentoring the Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper during two spells spent at Naturena. He knows better than anybody the strengths and weaknesses of his protégé, and why Khune has managed to stay the distance as South Africa’s top goalkeeper since he made his Premier Soccer League breakthrough in 2008.
With Chiefs embarking on a massive rebuilding project and freshening up of their squad, they can at least take comfort in one of the best-ever manning the barricades on the last line of defence.
Dinkelacker reveals a mix of attributes that set the Ventersdorp-born star apart from his rivals.
Right role-models
“When Khune was promoted to the first team he had two excellent goalkeepers to learn from – Brian Baloyi and Rowen Fernandez. Both were great professionals and taught him a lot,” Dinkelacker says from his home in Germany.
“Khune was promoted alongside Thela Ngobeni and they were both fine young keepers. The difference back then was that Khune was able to attend every session, while Ngobeni had a problem at school and could only be there twice a week.
“But I could see that Khune was very special. His movement, his accuracy in catching the ball … he was a special talent. And he made tremendous progress working with Brian and Rowen because he
“You could see that he was passionate about what he was doing and always wanted to be better, but in some areas he really excelled.”
Deadly distribution
“Khune’s distribution is a key weapon for the team and very early he mastered this,” Dinkelacker says.
“It was actually Rowen who came up with the ‘side volley’ technique of distributing the ball fast and flat, but Khune showed he was excellent at it.
This story is from the January 2017 edition of Kickoff.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2017 edition of Kickoff.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Best Of South Africa's Clasico
Kaizer Chiefs versus Orlando Pirates is one of football’s great derby matches with a rich history, both good and bad, that has helped to create a sports event that is the biggest in South Africa. It is perhaps the only fixture that can bring the country to a stand-still and down the years there has been some epic fixtures. KICK OFF’s Mark Gleeson picks out 10 of the best.
‘There is more coming'
The arrival of German coach Josef Zinnbauer at Orlando Pirates has coincided with Gabadinho Mhango suddenly raising his performance. His seven goals in Zinnbauer’s first four matches have elevated him to double figures already with a loud shout in the top scorers’ award chase. As Malawi’s top export, Mhango knows he is representing many back home, and thus carries the desire to aim high. He spoke to KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo, revealing he believes there is more coming from him.
‘I should have won 12 times'
Samuel Eto’o announced his retirement from professional football in 2019 and leaves behind a legacy that many consider sees him as the greatest African footballer of all time with 18 major titles won for club and country. KICK OFF’s Lorenz Kohler sat down with the four-time CAF African Player of the Year at the Duqesa de Cardona hotel in Barcelona before El Clasico to find out his role in the Castle Lager Africa Fives project and look back on an iconic career that started back in 1997.
The incredible coaching journey of Pitso Mosimane
If Mamelodi Sundowns go on and retain their Absa Premiership title at the end of the season, Pitso Mosimane will have won a fifth championship and become the most successful coach in the history of the sport in South Africa. Soweto-born Mosimane has an all-consuming passion for the game, starting in his playing career and now well into his mid-50s. His hunger for victory remains all too evident, even if the novelty of winning is now long past. With Sundowns he has won four of the last six league championships, and in so doing, matched the feats of four titles won by the likes of Jeff Butler, Ted Dumitru, Gordon Igesund and Gavin Hunt. But he has already gone one better than them by also winning the African Champions League – the Holy Grail on the continent. But how did Mosimane start out coaching, what fueled his passion and what was his journey to the top. It is a fascinating insight, told exclusively to KICK OFF’s Mark Gleeson.
Should He Stay Or Should He Go?
Three months after taking over Orlando Pirates, Rhulani Mokwena hasn’t elevated the club to where the fans expected. This has naturally raised questions about whether it was premature to hand him the job. KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo investigates Mokwena’s appointment, tenure and what could possibly be the way forward.
‘We Know How To Win The League'
Mamelodi Sundowns winger Lyle Lakay feels that there is no need to panic over the pace that Kaizer Chiefs have set in the Absa Premiership championship race, insisting that the Brazilians have the edge in terms of experience. KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo spoke to the 28-year-old, who spent most of his five years at Bloemfontein Celtic trying to get out of the club.
Chiefs' Missing Link
Kaizer Chiefs’ excellent start to the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League season has been a great team effort, but there is one man who stands out head and shoulders above the rest as the catalyst for their upturn in fortunes. Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic was a little-known journeyman forward before he arrived at Naturena at the beginning of the campaign, but has almost single-handedly improved the side’s attacking fortunes. KICK OFF’s Nick Said investigates what makes Nurkovic such a quality addition and why he can fire Chiefs to the league title.
Mano A Mano In Combat With Mano-Mano
Helder “Mano-Mano” Muianga missed out on a dream move to the English Premier League, but says he still remains proud of his career, which he spent mostly in South Africa. Now he hopes his new project back home in Mozambique will help him emulate his mentor, Jomo Sono.
Silencing The Critics
Having joined as a relatively unknown striker, with no eye-popping history of his ability, Gustavo Paez has begun to settle in well at Kaizer Chiefs over the last six months, and is looking to help Amakhosi return to their glory days in the 2017/18 Premier Soccer League season. Everyone took a dig at his journeyman background and they expected to see another failed mercenary unpack their suitcase at Naturena. Oh, how wrong they were …
Jayiya Lives Childhood Dream
Bhongolwethu Jayiya was part of Cape Town City’s whirlwind debut season, contributing an outstanding hat-trick against Chippa United as the Citizens finished an impressive third on the Absa Premiership table. Now that he has made the incredible step up to the Glamour Boys, a life-long dream of his, the pressure to achieve has been turned up a few notches. Here he tells KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo about his journey to Naturena.
