Banks backs Khune
Banks backs Khune

Posted in News on Aug 05, 2011.

Legendary goalkeeper, Joseph ‘Banks’ Sethlodi, has come out in defence of goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune after he missed a decisive penalty against Orlando Pirates last Saturday at FNB Stadium.



Khune, who is also the Bafana Bafana no. 1 goalkeeper, is regarded as one of the best kickers of the ball in the country. Clive Barker commented, during the Fifa Confederations Cup, that the Ventersdorp-born player has the same kicking technique as Manchester United great, Eric Cantona.



In the inaugural Carling Black Label Cup, “Spider-Kid”, as Itumeleng Khune is affectionately known, was handed the last penalty, which he ballooned. Despite that, Sethlodi believes that Khune should be encouraged to take more penalties.



“I do not think he was decisive about where he wanted to put the ball,” said Sethlodi, speaking to kaizerchiefs.com on Friday morning.



“In terms of kicking technique there are few goalkeepers who can match Itumeleng. His distribution is flawless.

"The thing is, as a goalkeeper, when you take penalties and you score them as well you are highly motivated to stop them. He should practise more and I have no doubt that he will become one of the best penalty takers,” he said.



Banks, who featured for the Glamour Boys for over a decade, took penalties for the Glamour Boys despite the presence of the likes of Ace Ntsoelengoe, Teenage Dladla and many more.



“I remember when I was injured for a while in 1975 there was no one who was a consistent penalty taker but when I returned I took them again. I scored 100 per cent of the penalties I took and stopped about 78 per cent during a career that spanned more than a decade.



“I used to tell goalkeepers, ‘stand there, I am going to take a picture of you’. It was never a problem for me. I'm not sure if it had to do with the fact that I was a left-footer,” he said with laughter.

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