Although Itumeleng Khune has spent 25 years at his beloved Kaizer Chiefs, the club’s disappointing performances ensured precious few fans came out to honour the AmaKhosi legend over the weekend.
Two days before their DStv Premiership match against Polokwane City at FNB Stadium on Saturday, Chiefs announced they would be celebrating the milestone achievement of Khune.
But Chiefs who are battling to remain in the top eight, now tied with Polokwane and AmaZulu on points but ahead on goal difference, had just a few fans attend their match at the gigantic FNB Stadium.
That the match also ended in a goalless draw also illustrated that it was best for fans to catch the game on TV rather, if at all.
Today was an important day for Itumeleng Khune.
The Kaizer Chiefs legend was honoured for his 25 years of service to the club.
Here’s what he had to say 👇#DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/s3JRxIffnD
Did the fans know Khune was being honoured?
Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson, meanwhile, sought to explain why fans did not come to cheer on their team and honour the 36-year-old goalkeeper who began his youth career with the club in 1999.
Johnson went on to suggest that most fans probably did not know that Khune was even being honoured.
“We're also faced with a lot of that competition [other activities], if I may say, within our sports. If we never had that, I'm sure if they had found that 'Itu' [Khune] was being honoured our supporters would have been here much more,” said Johnson.
“But now they've got to weigh their options. Are they going to close the pothole or must I go watch Kaizer Chiefs on a Saturday? [They're saying], 'I want to close the pothole, because that's why we're having problems in our communities’.
“That for me is a lot. They've got to think about all those things. Our supporters are also very important to us but, like we say, today they never came out in their numbers. I know for a fact wherever we go we always have the most supporters.”