Before the 2010 World Cup, former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Etugral disclosed that a few European sides were prepared to pay a hefty sum of money for Khune.
The reasons Itumeleng Khune and Siphiwe Tshabalala were unable to relocate to Europe during their prime have been revealed by former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Etugral.
Between 2007 and 2009, the Turkish coach had both players under his tutelage during his second spell at Amakhosi.
Ertugral told iDiski Times that while some European teams were eager to recruit Khune and Shabba, Chiefs stood in their way.
“I recall watching him play during the World Cup while I was the Turkish team’s analyst. It was like a revolution in 2010,” Ertugral remarked. “And everyone, even from Germany, from Italy, even France, were saying, ‘Wow, I have never seen a goalie do that.
“They had never seen goalies with such precision in their build-up play. I believe that Itu’s potential has been overly minimized, despite its world-class status. Itu had a little bad luck with the height. Thus, heredity is involved. He would have played in England or Germany if he had been one head higher.
Prior to the 2010 World Cup, the previous coach of the Orlando Pirates claimed that the Chiefs had received an offer for Khune.
I mean, at that time, Sivasspor and I were in Turkey. Recall that we wanted Itu and [Siphiwe] Tshabalala to Sivasspor prior to the World Cup, and we extended that offer to Kaizer Chiefs. Additionally, the money they promised Kaizer Chiefs was good. Because of the World, both were seated in between the lines.
