South African soccer fans have voted Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune as the Jet Club PSL Rookie of the Year for the 2007/08 season.

It was just one year ago when Kaizer Chiefs head coach Muhsin Ertugral decided to give the goalkeeper, who celebrated his 21st birthday on June 20, a chance to prove himself in the first team.

This was what the youngster from Ventersdorp in the North West was waiting for, and he went on to make his professional debut for Chiefs on August 25, 2007 against Jomo Cosmos, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw. This was the start of an impressive season which saw the young player win a number of accolades.

Khune, who boasts 11 caps for the national Under-20 team and 18 caps for the Under 23 Olympic outfit, takes home R50 000 in prize-money.

During his debut season, Khune was also awarded with the Goalkeeper and Player of the Tournament for the second edition of the Telkom Knockout as well as the PSL Player and Player’s Player of the 2007/8 season.

Apart from these achievements, Khune was also part of the national senior team, Bafana Bafana, when they participated in the MTN Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana earlier this year.

The Jet Club PSL Rookie of the Year award will delight Ertugral as it endorses his brave decision to throw Khune in the deep end at the start of the season, but credit must also go to Chiefs' development coach, Terror Sephoa, who made the decision to convert the player from a defender to a goalkeeper back in 2000. Sephoa went on to shape Khune into the player he is today.

Khune, who spent three seasons kicking his heels on the Chiefs bench, beat seven other strong contenders including his Orlando Pirates rival goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, Diyo Sibisi (Free State Stars), Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi (both from Pirates), Michael Nkambule (Chiefs), Bryan Aldave Benitez (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Kermit Erasmus (SuperSport United) to the award.

"Jet initiated the Jet Club PSL Rookie concept to motivate and encourage those who are competing in the Premier Soccer League for their first full season," said Cameron Burt, Jet Marketing Executive.

He added: "We understand the pressure placed on these players and how important it is to have a continuous flow of newcomers into the League to keep it competitive and exciting. Through our initiative we believe we are helping develop future Bafana Bafana players and role models."

Khune becomes the seventh Jet Club PSL Rookie of the Year, joining previous winners like Mbulelo "Old John" Mabizela, Gift Leremi Papi Zothwane, Ezrom Nyandoro, Katlego Mphela and Clifford Ngobeni.