Sundowns star joins Chiefs

Katsande reckons Khama Billiat will be a match winner for Kaizer Chiefs but others reckon the midfielder has made the wrong move by heading south.

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande has hailed the capture of Khama Billiat as a “massive addition” for the Soweto side, but the striker’s switch from Mamelodi Sundowns has been met with a mixed response. Billiat, who will be a free agent on 1 July, has spoken in previous months of fulfilling his dream move to Europe and, according to his representatives, there were clubs from Turkey, Romania, Sweden, Azerbaijan and France interested in his services.

But instead the 27-year-old has signed a threeyear contract with Chiefs as they seek to end a barren run of three seasons without any silverware.

Katsande, who is a teammate of Billiat in the Zimbabwe national side, believes his compatriot will vastly improve their chances of claiming the Absa Premiership.

“It’s massive addition to us. We really wanted someone who can have effect on our matches,” he was quoted by Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper. “For me, it is also a good feeling whereby I know how he plays. All we need to do is to help him settle in at the club.”

Katsande believes that Billiat’s European prospects are alive, though at his current age they must be growing slimmer all the time.

“His European chances are not yet over. He can still go after helping us win the league. Chiefs won’t hold on to players who want to go overseas,” Katsande said.

But Nigel Munyati, who is a director at the Harare-based Aces Youth Academy that developed Billiat and the likes of former Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona, believes it is the wrong move for the player.

“We had high hopes for Khama that by now he should, at least, be playing for one of the clubs in Europe. He has made his decision and we respect it, although I don’t think he will get any better by staying in South Africa,” Munyati said.

“Khama is a phenomenal player and I think he needs to be surrounded by quality players to realise his maximum potential, which I doubt he gets in South Africa.”

Former Zimbabwe international Alois Bunjira, a stalwart in the Premier Soccer League with the likes of BidVest Wits, Sundowns and Jomo Cosmos, says he believes the player should have stayed at Chloorkop if he wanted to remain in South Africa.

“All things being equal, I rather would have loved to see him stay at Sundowns because a move to Europe was always in doubt,” Bunjira said. “I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but I had doubted if it was possible. I think he missed that opportunity two years ago when he was voted the best player in South Africa.

“He should have moved then. At his current age many big clubs in Europe usually are not interested.”