It has become a trend at Kaizer Chiefs where they cannot find a permanent successor to long-serving goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, even during his vulnerable times.
So far this season, costly errors by first choice keeper Brandon Petersen have cost Chiefs in key moments.
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Over the years, the Glamour Boys have attracted good shot-stoppers to compete with Khune or to be his replacement in case of injuries. Those options were Brilliant Khuzwayo and Daniel Akpeyi, who had their moments where they were in good form or showed real quality.
However, the goalkeepers at the Soweto giants have not been able to convince the supporters that they can be the number one in their own right. After Khuzwayo and Akpeyi both ultimately left the club, Khune was still in his prime.
Petersen has also shown glimpses that he's a good goalkeeper but big mistakes had occurred in the league and in the MTN8.
As a result, the supporters are not convinced about the former Bidvest Wits shot-stopper being the number one and probably feel more comfortable with the Amakhosi legendary goalkeeper in goal, despite his form having dipped in the last couple of years.
Former Moroka Swallows and SuperSport midfielder Mark Haskins believes goalkeepers at Chiefs struggle to get out of the shadow of Khune and for as long as the 36-year-old is still active at the club, goalkeepers will continue to struggle.
"For me it's simple, the shadow that Khune casts is too big and ultimately I feel either Itumeleng Khune is number one at Kaizer Chiefs or he's not at Kaizer Chiefs, that's the bottom line for me," Haskins said on Metro FM Sports.
"It sounds harsh but those are the realities. Iker Casillas, the Real Madrid legend, when he was not the number one anymore, he left, he went to Porto. Unfortunately the shadow of Khune is too big for him (Petersen) and other goalkeepers in the team.
"It seems like I'm picking on the Khune situation but no goalkeeper will be given enough time to really set themselves as a number one while Khune is there. Nobody is not really gonna make that position their own. Every goalkeeper is looking over their shoulder while Khune is still an active player at Chiefs, purely because Khune is Khune, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time (in South Africa)," he added.
Petersen has started in eight out of 10 league games for Amakhosi and kept four clean-sheets. However, the 29-year shot-stopper has conceded in all three MTN8 matches he has played in so far this season.
Khune, on the other hand, made two league starts and one start in the Carling Knockout and Chiefs lost all of those three games he had started in.
