Itumeleng Khune gets set to kick the ball during a Bafana Bafana practice in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix Itumeleng Khune gets set to kick the ball during a Bafana Bafana practice in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
JOHANNESBURG – Itumeleng Khune has suggested that the Bafana players, and not necessarily the coach and the association, had a lot to do with Thulani Serero returning back to the national team set-up after a year out in the cold.
Dutch-based Serero has been included in Stuart Baxter’s 23-man squad to face Nigeria in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday, despite his regrettable remarks that he would only report for duty if guaranteed to be in the starting line-up.
Serero has not taken part in any of Bafana’s four qualifiers up to now.
“I grew up with Thulani, our houses were just one robot away from each other, and so we are very close. When he is in the country, he comes to my house or I go to his,” Khune said.
“We have been talking a lot about coming him coming back, because the team needs him. We only heard from the media that he was not going to be playing for Bafana.
“But all is forgiven. We are a family here, and Thulani realised he made a mistake, and had told me he would speak to Safa and the coach about being available again.”
Intensifying training programme; @BafanaBafana getting down to business at Steyn City School on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/lZsQyqfwHx
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 14, 2018
@superjourno
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