Kaizer Chiefs coach Vela Khumalo has opened up about the club’s missed opportunity with Emile Witbooi, revealing that the talented attacker was assessed by Amakhosi as a youngster but ultimately slipped through their youth system.
Witbooi has since developed into one of South Africa’s most closely watched young footballers, with his performances for Amajita putting him firmly in the spotlight.
Chiefs saw Witbooi as a youngster
According to Khumalo, Witbooi first came to Kaizer Chiefs’ attention when he was just 13 years old.
However, the coach admits that the youngster’s potential was not immediately obvious at such a young age.
Khumalo explained that Witbooi was brought in for an assessment but that the club did not see enough at the time to make a long-term commitment.
The Chiefs coach later realised that the club had allowed a promising player to move on.
“I remember he came for assessment, but he was very, very young,” Khumalo said.
Chiefs wanted him back
Khumalo revealed that the situation changed when Witbooi’s development became more apparent.
The coach said he subsequently raised the possibility of bringing the youngster back to Chiefs, only to discover that the club had already lost its opportunity.
He recalled asking then-technical director Walter Steenbok about Witbooi, saying the club needed to bring the player back.
According to Khumalo, Steenbok’s response was that Chiefs had already decided not to take the player when they had the chance.
That decision has taken on greater significance as Witbooi has continued to make progress.
Witbooi’s rise puts the spotlight on Chiefs’ decision
The 18-year-old recently made headlines after scoring for Amajita in their COSAFA U20 Cup final victory over Mozambique.
His performances at youth international level have added to the attention surrounding his development, while reports have also linked him with interest from clubs outside South Africa.
Witbooi’s name has previously been associated with several high-profile opportunities, including reported interest from Orlando Pirates and exposure to Bayern Munich’s youth setup.
For Chiefs, the situation represents a reminder of how difficult it can be to identify and retain elite talent while players are still in the early stages of their development.
Where does Witbooi go from here?
Witbooi’s next career move is likely to attract plenty of attention as clubs continue to monitor his progress.
Whether he remains in South Africa or eventually makes the move abroad, his development will be closely watched after breaking through at youth international level.
For Chiefs supporters, however, the bigger question is already being asked: could Emile Witbooi have become an Amakhosi star if the club had acted differently when he was 13?
