Itumeleng Khune calls for striker coaches to boost South Africa's goal-scoring standards

Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeping icon Itumeleng Khune would like to see the introduction of specialised coaches in South African football in order to improve the standard of strikers in the country.

According to Khune, strikers in the Betway Premiership are not very good at their jobs, which is to score goals.

This season, Orlando Pirates' Evidence Makgopa leads the goalscoring charts with four goals from Ezimnyama Ngenkani's eight games. He is followed by the Mamelodi Sundowns duo of Iqraam Rayners and Lucas Ribeiro, as well as Kaizer Chiefs' Mduduzi Tshabalala on three goals.

In England's Premier League, on the other hand, the top three goalscorers have all reached double figures already.

"The goal return is very bad, and I wonder how these players are able to walk in the streets with their heads held high," Khune was quoted by Soccer Laduma about the standard of attackers in the country.

"If you check strikers in Europe, by eight games, they are already on 11 or 12," said the 37-year-old Khune.

Khune suggested the introduction of striker coaches to improve players' instincts in front of goal.

"Striker coaches should be focused on the specific needs of attacking players, helping them work on their finishing after every training session," he said.

"As goalkeepers, we are like that. After a session, if you feel like something missing, you always ask your goalkeeper coach to stay behind and work on an area of improvement. So what's stopping strikers from staying behind and doing finishing so that they can improve?"

Khune is currently a free agent after his contract at Chiefs expired at the end of last season. The former club captain has been working as a pundit on SABC, but has maintained he still feels he can contribute on the field.

IOL Sport