Kuffour hails Okocha-like Billiat

THE chorus is growing by the day for midfielder Khama Billiat to consider taking his career to more challenging leagues in Europe after he turned on a magical show on the opening day of the Warriors’ 2017 Nations Cup campaign.

The 26-year-old charmed Ghanaian football legend Samuel Kuffour with a brilliant performance as the Warriors defied the odds to hold Algeria in Franceville to a 2-2 draw in a Group B match.

The Ghanaian pundit appeared to be out of superlatives to describe Billiat on SuperSport as he compared him to such great African players as Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, Samuel Eto’o, George Weah and FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I think it’s a very long time that I have seen such a player on the African continent. Who (else) can you imagine? Maybe Sadio Mane.

“But it’s very difficult to describe such a player because he’s got everything. Even though the likes of maybe Ronaldo will take the headed part of the game, maybe the height advantage into the game. But he has everything.

“You see the dribbling and today it wasn’t just one-onone with the goalkeeper and every time that he does something you got to pay service.

“So it tells me that maybe the likes of Okocha, the likes of maybe Samuel Eto’ or whoever Abedi Pele, George Weah that comes to mind, but this guy can be another level.

“If he really wants it, I think he has to move to Europe,” said Kuffour.

Mainly remembered for his days at Bayern Munich where he won 16 major titles in over a decade, Kuffour believes Billiat is ripe for European football.

Kuffour helped Ghana qualify for their first World Cup in 2006.

He was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2001 and also finished second in the African Player of the Year category in 1999 and 2001.

“It will be very disappointing for the African continent not to see him play here, but in terms of his career, the way he is at and the way he is just going at 26 years, I think he needs to move into Europe.

“He is amazing to watch. For me being a defender it’s going to be difficult to play against this one because he is too small.

“You don’t know what he is going to do with the ball. He has everything. For me I just love to see him going outside for his future,” said Kuffour.

Billiat had a great game on Sunday as he led the Warriors’ charge in a deserved draw against the Desert Foxes who are also among the favourites to win this year’s competition.

The diminutive midfielder could have easily come out with more than one goal had it not been for the brilliance of the Algerian goalkeeper.

Still he gave the more superior opponents a torrid time which for some moments forced those following the match to forget about the celebrated stars in the Algerian line-up that included English Premiership Players’ Player of the Year and CAF Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez.

Billiat’s former mentor at Aces Youth Academy Marc Duvillard also joined in the debate.

“I think this boy is playing some brilliant football. I wasn’t surprised to see him play like that.

“He has always been quick and is not selfish with the ball. He has been in top form at his club in South Africa the whole season and has managed to maintain that.

“I hope he continues with the fine performances. He has at least two more group games to prove what a great player he is.

“Zimbabwe has a lot of good players, the same as Algeria. But Algeria had five or six stars yet we probably only have Billiat. That’s football. Portugal have Ronaldo and Argentina have Messi; we have Billiat.

“I hope he gets that breakthrough now to go to Europe because it could be difficult for him to repeat what he did with Sundowns last season since he has achieved what any player in Africa can dream of — winning the Champions League.

“He also has the money, the cars and all so he needs something challenging.

“He should be talking to his manager about playing in Europe because if he returns to Sundowns again it’s very possible that his game cannot improve from where he is now. He needs something more challenging.

“But after what he did against Algeria, Senegal can only be very careful about him. Senegal are big and can be very physical so he would need to be at his best.

“He has the advantage of being fast and he has to avoid contact. But the main thing is we don’t need to put pressure on him or any other player in the team.”

Duvillard also believes Knowledge Musona was going to make a huge impact at the tournament.

“I think he (Billiat) was going to do even better if Knowledge was not injured early.

“These guys have a marvellous understanding of one another. It became difficult when Knowledge got injured, but he still showed the whole world his abilities.

“I am sure Knowledge got injured during the warm-up period. I don’t know why he had to take that risk because after five to six minutes you could easily pick that something was not right with him. Normally, he shouldn’t have started,” said Duvillard.