Khama Billiat gets contract extension at Chiefs
ZIMBABWE international Khama Billiat has been given a two-year contract extension by South African Premiership football giants, Kaizer Chiefs.
The club’s Corporate Communications Manager, Alpheus Vina Maphosa, announced in a statement yesterday that the midfielder was among the five senior players that have been retained.
The other players that have been favoured with new deals include veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, Lebogang Manyama, Bernard Parker, and Ramahlwe Mphahlele.
“Chiefs have also extended Khama Billiat’s contract. He will be with Amakhosi for two more seasons after signing for two years. The Zimbabwean attacking midfielder arrived at Chiefs in 2018 ahead of the 2018/19 season,” said Maphosa.
Much is expected from Billiat, who has battled injury and loss of form during his first stint. There has been speculation about his future, with some reports indicating the 30-year-old would leave the Glamour Boys this year.
However, the club yesterday confirmed they still have him in their plans as they look to revamp their
Premiership Championship campaign. Chiefs finished a distant eighth, more than 30 points adrift of champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the previous season. However, they had a fairy-tale run in the
Champions League when they reached the final, but lost 0-3 to Al Ahly of Egypt.
Billiat played a key role in that campaign despite missing several months due to injuries. The attacking midfielder has divided opinion, since his big move from Mamelodi Sundowns to Chiefs, three years ago.
Apparently, the 30-year old played his best football at rivals Sundowns, where he won the CAF Champions League in 2016.
He was also voted the first runner-up in the CAF Player of the Year, based in Africa category, where many felt he should have been chosen ahead of his then teammate, goalkeeper Dennis Onyango, on account of his starring role for Sundowns.
However, he has endured a difficult time since the move to Chiefs, ranging from injuries, the excessive pressure from the fans, and the hostile criticism from sections of the South African media.
Billiat, nonetheless, has not let that destroy him and was the hero when he scored a crucial late goal against Horoya in Guinea, despite not being 100 percent fit, to help Amakhosi reach the knockout phase of the Champions League, in April this year.
“I’m at the right place, at the right time and I’m surrounded by the right people, (the) right management and I’m at the right club,” Billiat told the club’s media department recently.
Chiefs have been busy rebuilding for the new season. They announced that goalkeeper Khune, who is the longest serving player in the current team, has also been given two years’ extension to his contract.
The goalkeeper has been a part of the senior team set-up since 2004 and this means he will go into his record-equalling 18th season with Kaizer Chiefs’ senior team.
He joins Patrick ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe in the record books of Amakhosi. Ntsoelengoe played for Chiefs from 1970 and retired in 1988. Amakhosi have also signed another one-year contract with option to extend for a further year with attacking midfielder Manyama.
Captain Bernard Parker will get to play in his 11th season for Amakhosi as he has also been given a one-year contract extension.
The attacker played 42 games last season for Chiefs, making him the second most capped player of the 2020/21 season.
He also captained the team in the latter part of the season. He played and captained 13 of the 15
Champion league games for Chiefs last season. Defender Mphahlele has also received a contract extension for the next season with a one-year option. Mphahlele born player joined Chiefs in 2016. He was appointed captain of the team at the start of the season but also struggled with injuries. He will go into his sixth season with Amakhosi.
But there was no such luck for Zimbabwean Willard Katsande, who is now set to leave the club after 10 years.