Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune has set the record straight regarding comments he made about head coach Nasreddine Nabi wearing headphones before matches.
Khune, who served as the club's captain for many years, clarified that his remarks were not intended as an attack on Nabi, but rather as a personal disappointment based on his long-standing experience at the club.
During his exploits as a pundit with SABC, Khune expressed his concerns about the practice of wearing headphones on the field, something that he said had been a long-standing policy at Kaizer Chiefs.
The policy, which was adopted around the 2012/2013 season, was designed to help players and staff focus on the task at hand before matches. According to Khune, the decision was made to avoid distractions and to maintain a level of respect for the fans, who might feel ignored if players or coaches were seen wearing headphones during field inspections.
"My comments regarding coach Nasreddine Nabi on SABC wasn't an attack on the coach. It was just a disappointment from my side because I was the captain for a very long time and I know since the 2012/2013 season as a club, we decided that we shouldn't wear headphones when we go out for field inspection, because that's where you should be visualising doing good on the pitch, helping the team, to determine to do well and win the game, and obviously to also interact with our fans," Khune told the Siya crew.
Khune went on to explain that this rule was not only implemented by players but was also expected of the technical team.
"If you are wearing your headphones on the field, then the fans feel disrespected. They feel like we don't have time for them, and we don't appreciate them. So that was the rule that we brought to the team, and we all bought into that idea and we did it tremendously well," Khune continued.
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The rule, he explained, was part of the culture that helped the team stay focused and achieve success.
"As a team, we won trophies because of such brave decisions that were made at that time. So, I was also shocked and disappointed that the head coach is wearing headphones on the field and what I know, Kaizer Chiefs doesn't allow players, including the technical team, to wear the headphones on the pitch, whether it's before the game or after the game, we have to be focused."
Khune further emphasized that the team's discipline and focus on matchdays, including the avoidance of headphones, had been a key factor in their success over the years.
"We have to be in our zone, we have to visualize ourselves winning," he stated. "So, when things like that happen, and you've been part of the setup for a very long time and it worked to our advantage. They say don't fix what's not broken. So, it wasn't broken for a very long time. It worked for the team."
Khune's comments stirred some conversation, and he acknowledged that his words might have been misunderstood. However, he stressed that they were rooted in his experience and his desire to see the team succeed.
"If I'm being misunderstood, there's not much we can do. I'll control what I can control, which is what I have to say, or to reply to those Tweets or to the comments. But it's my opinion and those who are at Chiefs, those who are at the club at that time, they know how those changes worked to our benefit."
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