How Khama Billiat is dealing with injury and contract situation at Chiefs
Blowing hot and cold, battling injuries and no success in terms of trophies in four seasons fittingly describes what has been a nightmarish spell for Khama Billiat at Kaizer Chiefs.
Billiat was recently ruled out of action for the remainder of the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season after undergoing surgery to treat a torn groin muscle.
While the development is undoubtedly depressing, Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane feels the Zimbabwean star is mentally fit to overcome the ordeal.
“Khama, is a big boy. he understands. These things they do happen in football; they are part of the game and some of the things you know are beyond our control,” Zwane told the media at the PSL headquarters.
INJURY SETBACK FOR KHAMA BILLIAT
Billiat, who had sustained a knee injury in September last year, was starting to make progress in his recovery after returning to light training in January 2023 but has since suffered another setback.
While he’s had four campaigns of underwhelming performances at Naturena, his contract is set to run out on 30 June 2023. Now, pundits and a section of the Amakhosi supporters believe Billiat has made things hard for himself to earn a new deal at the Soweto giants.
Meanwhile, Zwane, with not so much to say, admitted that injuries and not being sure whether a player will have their contract extended, can have an impact on their performances.
In this campaign, Billiat has only featured 11 times with zero goals and three assists to his name.
“We can’t control the situation, unfortunately, we just hoping that things will change for the better,” added Zwane. “We’ve been encouraging him.
“But not only him you know [Eric Mathoho] has been in a similar situation, where he’s been battling with injuries and [Phathutshedzo] Nange, and Cole Alexander, let alone the recent players that have been added on that list.
“So I’m talking about the senior players as well, so they are going through that at the moment, and they’re dealing with it because the team is also offering help psychologically,” revealed the Chiefs coach.
ARTHUR ZWANE ON KHAMA BILLIAT’S CONTRACT SITUATION
Furthermore, Zwane was coy on whether the club will offer Billiat a new contract or release the Zimbabwean when his contract expires.
Billiat, who took SA’s top-flight by storm while at Mamelodi Sundowns, has found it difficult to replicate that form at Chiefs. During his stay at Chloorkop, he won serval major trophies including the CAF Champions League and a number of PSL individual awards.
His Chiefs statistics of 125 appearances with 24 goals and 29 assists are a far cry from his days at Sundowns, where he netted 47 goals and turned provider 43 times in 140 matches.
“Look, everything boils down to one thing profiling players, the plan for next season, I’m not going to say who will be part of the team next season, I don’t know as it stands. As things they are right now, only time will tell,” he said.
With the 32-year-old set to miss the rest of the season, he might have donned the famous Gold and Black shirt for the last time when he featured against Orlando Pirates in October in the Carling Cup.
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