The father of a Chelsea-linked young star has opened up about how Kaizer Chiefs missed out on signing the player at a time when he was deemed too lightweight to make it at Naturena.
Last weekend, Emile Witbooi entered the history books by becoming the youngest player to make an appearance for Cape Town City in the PSL when he came on as a substitute against AmaZulu FC.
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However, previously unknown to many, Witbooi could have very well ended up in the famous Gold and Black colours of the Mighty Amakhosi.
Speaking on Metro FM, his father, former Cape Town City, Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town Spurs winger Bradley Ralani, revealed how the Soweto giants turned down the chance to recruit the youngster to their academy.
"He went to Chiefs," confirmed Ralani.
"I think it was a year or two before he went to the School of Excellence. Chiefs actually turned him down," said Ralani.
"They said something about his physicality. He was not built enough according to their standards.
"But the football side was there, and they had to turn him back. [They said] no, he needed to grow a little bit.
"So, that's how it happened.
"But he was there at Chiefs, I think it was about two weeks. They said no, he was too small, and players that were his age were bigger than him. So they just thought he needs to grow a little bit," explained the Kimberley native.
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The national U17 international, who recently underwent a trial at EPL giants Chelsea, may get a chance to play against Amakhosi when the Citizens travel to Johannesburg for a Betway Premiership encounter on Wednesday.