Khune: I Was Afraid For Ronwen

Itumeleng Khune says he feared for the worst when Ronwen Williams moved to Mamelodi Sundowns, but speaking to Soccer Laduma, 'Mzansi's Finest' revealed his admiration for the Bafana Bafana captain and his remarkable journey.

"There's no rivalry. There's a brotherhood," Khune told the Siya crew when asked about his relationship with the 32-year-old.

Khune has watched Williams grow and flourish, and he couldn't be prouder.

"I'm very proud of his progress. I'm proud of the steps he has taken because obviously there's games that he has played and he was battered when he conceded five against France, five against Brazil.

"It's not how you start – but how you finish!"

Khune says that he was skeptical of Williams' decision to join Sundowns, especially because both Denis Onyango and Kennedy Mweene were doing well at the time, but he says Williams' quality shone through at the Brazilians.

"I was actually scared for him when he moved there. I thought he's going to compete with a Ugandan international, a Zambian international. He won't play, but he showed us what he's capable of, what his qualities are."

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The growth Williams has shown since then is nothing short of inspiring, and Khune celebrates his success.

"Look how he has grown and I'm happy. At some point, we used to share a room and we used to talk about such things to say, 'Ronza, we are not here to make friends, we are here to work. We are here to build the flag and whenever given the opportunity, don't even worry about me sitting outside. Focus on your craft, build as much as you can'."

Now, Williams' hard work has paid off, earning him global recognition.

"I'm happy that he was able to do exactly that. And here he is being nominated for the Yashin trophy. He's already putting South Africa on the map, being recognized by FIFA and other goalkeepers around the world know Ronwen Williams and where he's from. That's what South Africa is always capable of producing—great goalkeepers," he said.

Read more from our exclusive interview with Khune in our two-page feature in the latest edition of the Soccer Laduma newspaper.