Stuart Baxter Explains Why He Dropped Itumeleng Khune Over the Weekend

Stuart Baxter Explains Why He Dropped Itumeleng Khune Over the Weekend

  • Stuart Baxter left Itumeleng Khune out of the squad for Kaizer Chiefs' match against TS Galaxy over the weekend
  • The coach says he has no issues with Khune's form but the decision was made purely from a tactical point of view
  • In the past, Baxter has shown that he has major faith in Khune so the decision confused the fans and others too

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All eyes were on the "title-chasing" Kaizer Chiefs in their clash against TS Galaxy but things didn't turn out the way they would've hoped. The match ended in a goalless draw and many noticed that Itumeleng Khune was not in the squad for the match.

The veteran goalkeeper was not in the starting line-up and wasn't even named as a substitute. Stuart Baxter has been praising Khune in the media over the last few weeks so many thought that he would be his number one man.

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Stuart Baxter, TS Galaxy, Kaizer Chiefs, Itumeleng Khune, squad exclusion
Stuart Baxter is trying different tactics and has no issue with Itumeleng Khune. Image: @IIKHUNE_32_16
Source: Twitter

Speaking to the media after the draw, Baxter explained that his decision to drop Khune from the squad was purely tactical. The coach further stated that the decision has nothing to do with Khune's form.

“There is nothing wrong with him, nothing he did against Sundowns. We just thought that this would be a longer game from their side," said Baxter.

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Baxter has no problems with Khune and said that the other goalkeepers (Bruce Bvuma and Daniel Akpeyi) were the preferred choice against TS Galaxy, according to The South African.

Goal reports that Baxter further expanded on Itumeleng Khune's role in the Kaizer Chiefs squad, saying that he will remain the captain of the club.

"Club captain, meaning whenever he plays he’s captain, whenever he doesn’t play, he’s still club captain. It doesn’t change that he is the voice of the squad and he is the go-to man, now that will not change," said Baxter.

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Stuart Baxter says Itumeleng Khune will remain Number 1

Briefly News previously reported that Itumeleng Khune is still going to be the number one goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs as things stand.

There has been speculation on whether his position is safe since the club has so many decent goalkeepers but it looks like Stuart Baxter has faith in him as his number one man.

Khune started in the game against Mamelodi Sundowns and was pretty solid even though Kaizer Chiefs conceded two goals in the first half. In the penalty shootout, Khune made a few saves and showed that he can still do his job very well.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Thando Mpembe avatar

Thando Mpembe Thando Mpembe is a sports journalist who has a passion for all things entertainment. In her spare time, Thando enjoys reading and spending time with family. She is an advocate for mental health and believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind. Thando holds an Honours Degree in Journalism from the University of Johannesburg. Her favourite quote is "Gentle reminder - you are not for everyone and that is a blessing". Email: thando.mpembe@briefly.co.za