Billiat denies rift with Middendorp
Khama Billiat insists his relationship with Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp is “fine” and has dismissed speculation of a personality clash.
While Chiefs have got off to a good start to the 2019-2020 season and lead the Premiership‚ things seem to have been a little rockier for their Zimbabwean attacker‚ a star of the group stages at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in June.
In August‚ Mamelodi Sundowns tabled a reported R15m offer for a return of Billiat to the club he left a year before. Reports were that the interest from his former club was initiated by the player. Chiefs emphatically squashed the move.
It then appeared to take some time for Billiat to be introduced to Chiefs’ starting line-up‚ though he has made the XI for four of their past five matches.
Billiat was asked to respond to speculation of a rocky relationship with Middendorp.
“I don’t know that. I was just greeting him now‚” he said. “I don’t know where this is coming from. But I’m working with him every day. I’m fine.”
In September, Middendorp complained that the player was lacking match fitness.
This past weekend Billiat said he and Middendorp had put behind them the public statements both made with the player having said “nothing comes close to playing for your country”.
On Friday, the player said: “We [Billiat and Middendorp] spoke about it.
“As players, we always want to play football. You always want to represent‚ whenever you are called for.”
Middendorp and Billiat do appear to be smoking the peace pipe.
The coach glowingly praised the attacker’s performance in winning man-of-the-match in Chiefs’ last competitive game‚ their 2-0 league win against Lamontville Golden Arrows at FNB on October 1.