Akpeyi Sends Khune An Encouraging Message
Daniel Akpeyi has sent an encouraging message to his former teammate Itumeleng Khune ahead of next season. Akpeyi was one of the players that were ditched by Amakhosi with the club deciding against extending his contract after it expired in June.
Khune has been one of the main subjects in Chiefs’ news lately with many believing that his time is over. Last season, he only featured once across all competitions despite being available for selection in the majority number of games the club played. Bruce Bvuma and Brandon Peterson seem to have taken over between Amakhosi’s sticks but number 32 can’t count himself out as he’s still persistent in fighting for his place.
“The advantage that goalkeepers have more than the infield players is that they can play to their 40s. They can play up to 42, 43 and so on, as long as you can take care of your body and looking after yourself,” said Akpeyi as per Soccer Laduma.
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“For example, (Gianluigi) Buffon is 44 now and he still plays in a top club. He has recently renewed his contract (in February) by two more years. The former Egyptian national team goalkeeper (Essam El Hadary), who is the national team goalkeeper coach now, retired at 45. (Iker) Casillas and a lot of others have gone on and on and it’s just how you take care of yourself. For me, it is all about your belief and your work ethic.
“I think he (Khune) sees himself like that, that he can still give to the game and looking at the things that he’s trying to put in place and the things he’s trying to do, it shows that he believes he still has a lot to offer. I just pray that injury doesn’t cut him off. If the team decides to make him a coach and all of that at some stage, I don’t think that will be bad either because he has got all the qualities,” the Nigerian international added.
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WHY MDUDUZI SHABALALA WON’T PLAY OFTEN FOR CHIEFS’ FIRST TEAM NEXT SEASON?
The Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge team coach Vela Khumalo has revealed why the newly promoted Amakhosi player Mduduzi Shabalala won’t play often in the first team.
The 18-year-old starlet who’s the captain of Chiefs DDC team is doing Matric this year and will be given some time to focus on his studies.
Chiefs first team is training in the morning when Shabalala is at school while the DDC team trains in the afternoon when he’s back. “We will keep Mduduzi for now. He will go in and out in the first team. He will play the 15 minutes there and come back, because he is still at school.” Kaizer Chiefs reserve coach Vela Khumalo said.
“The program that he has is not the same as the one in the first team. The first team at times train in the morning and we train in the afternoon.
“He is studying Grade 12, so he will be in and out of the first team. It’s not only Mduduzi. About 90 percent of the players are in Grade 12. I am also at a school. I’m always working at school. So balancing it is not a problem. You always give them time what they need to do and then you give time to do the training sessions. That’s how we do it.”
