Durban - A new dawn is set to arrive at Kaizer Chiefs as the club entrust the leadership of club legend Arthur Zwane to resurrect the gloss and pedigree associated with the Naturena based club.
Amakhosi released a total of 12 players at the end of the last campaign, amongst them club captain Bernard Parker who had been a servant of the club for a little over ten years.
The 36-year-old's departure along with Ramahlwe Mphahlele has signalled a spiral of questions regarding the club's now vacant captain's armband and who Zwane will seek fit to be his on-field deputy for the foreseeable future.
The Soweto giants, with all their flashy signings may have an even bigger issue in identifying a leader, especially with a squad seemingly thin with the required personality and performance blend for Chiefs the captaincy.
IOL Sport's Smiso Msomi takes a look at three candidates for the Kaizer Chiefs captaincy:
Itu Khune
At 35 years old Khune ticks all the boxes of a fitting Amakhosi captain. A servant of the club for more than 18 years and one of the greatest players to ever don the gold and black of Chief, except he already is the captain of Kaizer Chiefs.
The Ventersdorp born man has been club captain from the 2011/2012 season and has led Chiefs to numerous titles under various managers. However, having not turned out for Chiefs at all last season in the DStv Premiership, it remains to be seen whether Zwane will look to redeploy Khune into his plans for the upcoming seasons.
'Spider-kid' may have been written off by a lot of the club's supporters but the club's decision to not include him in the mass exodus could be an indication of Zwane's intentions for Khune and is a possibility to reclaim his number one jersey.
Zitha Kwinika
Surprisingly enough Kwinika holds a league winners medal that he acquired while with Chiefs back in 2015 before his moves to Chippa United, Bidvest Wits and lastly Stellenbosch, a period in which he has had enough time to garner enough top-flight experience.
The 28 year old's ability to consistently perform at a high level justifies his return to Amakhosi and could be one of a few leaders Zwane could call upon without hesitance.
However Chiefs are not Stellenbosch and the pressures of being the face fans look to for encouragement in a transition period might prove too much for a man looking to cement his name starting 11 at Naturena.
Yusuf Maart
Maart is perhaps the wildest card in this line-up, a testament to the huge task Zwane has to appoint a permanent leader in the group he currently possesses.
The 26 year old is now fully established Bafana Bafana international, the kind of exposure that lifts him a few places up the list in comparison to his new teammates.
His authority and control was evident in the colours of Sekhukhune United but Chiefs know better than to hand over the armband to a new arrival and the events at their eternal rivals Orlando Pirates should serve as a good lesson.
IOL Sport