Khune has air and confidence of a veteran

Itumeleng Khune is not going to let Sierra Leone spoil his new-found confidence and promotion to Bafana Bafana's new No 1 goalkeeper.

The youngster, who turns 21 next Friday, has been installed by new coach Joel Santana as his first choice ahead of the more experienced Rowen Fernandez and Moeneeb Josephs.

Khune, who enjoyed an outstanding 2007-08 season with Kaizer Chiefs, has taken over the mantle from Germany-based Fernandez as his club form has seen his star in the national set-up rise.

He will earn only his fourth cap when he wears the No 1 jersey against the Leone Stars in Freetown in Saturday's 2010 African Nations Cup Group Four qualifier.

But he has the air and confidence of a veteran. He stated yesterday that he was not in the least apprehensive about having to play in a country that had suffered a 10-year-long bloody civil war not all that long ago.

Sierra Leone is now on the road to recovery under a democratically elected government, but may not be in anybody's holiday plans for a long time yet.

"I will focus on what's happening on the field of play, not outside it. I have no interest in what is or is not going on in Freetown, apart from wanting to help Bafana to secure three more points. I will not allow myself to be distracted," Khune said on Wednesday after Santana had put his charges through a tough training session. - Sapa