Kaizer Chiefs legend Jabu Mahlangu has issued a touching tribute to veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and, in the process, perhaps revealed the secret behind the shot-stopper's now signature distribution ability.
Khune was honoured by Amakhosi ahead of the DStv Premiership clash against Polokwane City, which ended in a goalless draw. The match could potentially be his last home game as Chiefs player, with his current deal at Naturena club set to expire in June.
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Club legend Mahlangu, who was one of the senior players in the team when Khune came through the youth ranks, has hailed the Ventersdorp-born star for his commitment.
"Wow, exceptional talent!" enthuses the man previously known as Jabu Pule, speaking to journalists at a legends event in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
"We all know what Khune has done for South Africa and what he has done for football as a whole.
"I hope that we are going to find another Khune who will take over from where Khune left off and take it to another level," he continued.
#Distribution101 made it to the Top 3 Best Kicking in the World #ClassIsPermanent ???????????? pic.twitter.com/3Mj8ffVsFu
— IIKHUNE3216 (@IIKHUNE_32_16) January 20, 2021
In a career that has spanned over two decades and brought with it three league titles, the goalkeeper revolutionized the way goalkeepers influenced matches with his trademark distribution.
So much so that then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson could not help but lavish praise on the then 21-year-old.
"The Chiefs keeper was good. I was particularly impressed by his uncanny distribution, which put his team constantly on the counter-attack," Ferguson said after the two teams met in the 2008 Vodacom Challenge.
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'Shuffle', as former sensation Mahlangu is affectionately known, reveals that the secret is in the practice.
"Personally, I'm very happy for him and I hope Amakhosi supporters and South Africans in general [are too].
"He has done us proud and done his family proud because he has shown [a high level of] hard work."
"Khune used to train a lot. Khune used to train four times a day to perfect his distribution. And his reading of the game, it's not something that comes easy. Yes, he is talented, but talent on its own is not good enough. You need to work hard and make sure that you enhance your talent.
"So, much, much respect to Itumeleng Khune. I think it's fair for me to say he is a South African legend."
It remains to be seen if the 36-year-old could get more minutes in the famous Gold and Black jersey as Chiefs prepare to take on Cape Town Spurs at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
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