Cometh the hour, Khama the man

Khama Billiat could not have chosen a better way to start life at a big club like Kaizer Chiefs. There’s no doubting he came with a huge reputation following his exploits at Mamelodi Sundowns, but he still had to prove that he could do it at a new environment and under the same, if not more, pressure. Amakhosi are arguably the biggest team in the country and one of the most recognized brands on the continent, with a global reach too, and wearing the club’s jersey is not for the faint at heart. Joining a team that longed for the smell of success following three barren seasons meant Billiat had to deliver. No negotiations. He started 19 out of 20 games in all competitions under Giovanni Solinas and delivered a decent tally of six goals. The Soweto giants’ fans couldn’t be happier, and the Italian mentor was so mesmerized by the Khama Billiat show that he often singled him out for praise in his post-match interviews and famously bowed to the star on different occasions as a sign of admiration for his talent. For some, it seemed a strange thing for a coach to do in a team sport like football, but nonetheless, the most important thing to the fans is that the Zimbabwean was delivering the good and helping the team win games. The good start that Billiat had at Chiefs set him up nicely for whatever challenges lay ahead and meant he was on good terms with the sometimes-impatient supporters. According to them, Sundowns’ loss had been their gain. However, truth be told, the team was not doing well by their standards. They had bowed out of the MTN8 and the Telkom Knockout and were faring no better in the league. After pressure had been growing considerably on the coach, he parted ways with the club following a 2-1 loss to Golden Arrows on December 1. With Solinas now gone, would Billiat continue with his rich vein of form?