Yadah Stars coach Thomas Ruzive has come to the defence of the club’s marquee signing, Khama Billiat, who has yet to find the net since his return to the local premiership amid high expectations.
According to NewsDay, Ruzive explained that Billiat will require time to adapt to a league with lower quality compared to South Africa, where he spent most of his club football career.
Ruzive made these remarks shortly after the Miracle Boys suffered a 3-1 defeat against Bulawayo Chiefs at Luveve Stadium on Monday.
During the match, Billiat faced challenges, especially in the first half, but gradually improved in the second half. Unfortunately, he missed a scoring opportunity. Said Ruzive:
I think he is trying to adjust to the local football. He will adjust and he will improve his game. The quality of players we have in the local league and internationally (is different). Of course, the South Africans are better because they pick quality players around Africa, and they pick quality players only.
Ruzive acknowledged that they are actively addressing the former Warriors star’s fitness, considering his extended time on the sidelines. He attributed his players’ struggles to the condition of the pitch.
The Miracle Boys lost their first game to Hwange at the Colliery and played two draws against Bikita Minerals and Dynamos before the defeat against Chiefs.
Meanwhile, Chiefs’ gaffer Thulani Sibanda suggested that Billiat was less effective as a twin striker. He said:
There was no special instruction on my players on Billiat because in terms of where they placed him; they placed him as a twin striker, so he is not dangerous. If he was wide, he was going to be dangerous.
We were going to assign him someone but where they placed him, they tried to play long balls to him, and he doesn’t have the height so there was no specific assignment. Unless he was playing wide.
If they pulled wide it was going to be a bit tricky but if he is playing central, he is just an ordinary player. But I am not at their training ground, I don’t know the coach’s philosophy so I cannot advise him to do that.
Billiat, despite being the PSL’s most expensive player, has yet to establish himself on the local stage.
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