‘Next season Chiefs should be able to win everything’: ‘Itu’ Khune

Speaking at a Soweto derby press conference at the Vodacom head offices in Midrand on Monday, Khune said he understands things haven’t gone according to the plan but insisted there are signs better days are coming.

Chiefs host Orlando Pirates in the league at FNB Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm). 

Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Khune said it’s normal that a team that has made wholesale changes from the technical team to playing personnel will struggle while trying to find the right combinations.  

“All I can say to our supporters is, yes, we have been asking for patience but again they need to understand that there have been different coaches in the past seasons because most of the time it is what they [the fans] recommended to management,” Khune said.

“If you look at European clubs, they are patient with coaches and players because they know the team is building.

“Yes, we haven’t been winning silverware but the squad we have now, compared to the previous squad, I think is ready to compete. If we can be given more time, come next season we should be able to win everything that is on offer.”

Khune believes the squad Chiefs assembled at the beginning of the season, bolstered by January signing Christian Saile, has what it takes to emulate the side that won the league and Nedbank Cup in the 2012-13 season and another league and cup double in 2014-15.

“In the 2013-2013 season we were sweeping everything because we had just had a new coach [Baxter] and most Bafana players who were playing at Chiefs such as Tsepo Masilela, Bernard Parker, Siboniso 'Pa' Gaxa, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Reneilwe 'Yeye' Letsholonyane and myself.

“Now we have strong, young and aspiring players who want to win silverware. That is what we talk about every day at work — that we want to win trophies. We promise our supporters that things will turn around at some point.”