Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana legend Itumeleng Khune has revealed he took a pay cut in his latter stages of his career with Amakhosi.
The 37-year-old keeper spent his playing days with the Naturena-based club winning several trophies with the team. In June, the club opted not to renew his contract making him a free agent.
In May, Kaizer Chiefs confirmed that Khune has played his last match for the club and that a position was available for him after retirement. The former Bafana captain has explained how teams are paying footballers less as they age.
“Unfortunately, it’s becoming a trend that at a certain age and obviously with the bracket that you find yourself in when it comes to the payments, obviously clubs are looking into that nowadays and the older you are, the less money you must get. Those are the kind of decisions that you also have to make at some point,” Khune said as quoted by SABC Sport.
Khune explains his salary situation at Kaizer Chiefs
“With my situation, for years I’ve been reading and hearing that, ow, Itu has agreed to take 50%. So, for me it wasn’t all about money anymore, it was about playing football and making people happy like I’ve been doing hence I’ve taken those salary cuts, I asked the club.
“It’s not about the money anymore, it’s about the love of the game but there was nothing I could have done because the club gave me the respect and said, ‘You can go wherever you wanna go if you wanna continue playing,” he added.
Khune only played for Kaizer Chiefs his whole career but that could change if he decides to continue with his football career.
“I didn’t see myself representing any other team in South Africa apart from Kaizer Chiefs which I’ve played for, for my entire career. So, I didn’t see myself wearing another jersey.”
Should Khune retire or join another team?
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