Themba 'Mshishi' Zwane is faced with a crucial countdown of months at Mamelodi Sundowns as he works through his return from injury with the dates slanting towards his 36th birthday.
Priority for Zwane right now is getting past the Achilles tendon rupture injury, which he picked up while on Bafana Bafana duty three months ago.
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His estimated recovery was placed between four to six months, putting him at the risk of missing as many as 30 games for the defending league champions.
So far, Zwane has been out for 18 matches.
With the New Year bell having rung to signal the last six months of the optional year exercised by the club last year, it leaves questions hanging again about what will happen.
Zwane is understood to still have another one-year option on his deal, which Sundowns will have to consider activating again with the FIFA Club World Cup within sight from June 14-July 13.
The tournament will be a befitting stage for the mercurial midfielder to play after he didn't get any minutes at the 2016 edition.
His return is estimated to only happen after March.
Whatever Sundowns Sporting Director Flemming Berg and the rest of the decision-makers at the club have in mind about Zwane will be interesting.
The Tembisa-born veteran has been under contract at Chloorkop since January 2011 when he arrived from amateur club Vardos.
Since his return from a season-long (2013/14) loan at Mpumalanga Black Aces, Zwane has won trophies for 10 years in a row at Sundowns, while playing a visible role throughout that success.
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His presence in the dressing room has been coupled with a footprint of top numbers in his appearance count with 29 the least number of games that he has played in a single season over the last decade.
Just last term, Zwane's shift was 41 matches but is now set for his lowest appearances numbers this term due to injury.