Billiat gets 77pc Player of the Month vote

Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter

KHAMA BILLIAT is back and rolling.

After a somewhat stuttering start to life in the Premier Soccer League following his return from a long spell in South Africa, the Yadah star is now flying.

He has been central to Yadah’s resurgence in the second half of the season, not least, after scoring three goals and providing a single assist as they won twice and drew two in July. The 33-year-old was always going to be the favourite to win the Player of the Month for that period.

And he did so emphatically after garnering a massive 65 of the available 84 votes during the selection.

“I am happy because I am getting there slowly,” Billiat said. “It’s always good to enjoy the game and produce results.

“I am very happy for myself and more importantly for the club. My teammates deserve all the praise for the role they continue to play in my game. We complement each other and more love to the coach Thomas Ruzive for his guidance.

“I am really grateful to the stakeholders and everyone, I am feeling the love.

“It is always good to win prizes, but I am here to help my team in every way possible in the field of play. I am enjoying my game and there is still more room to improve.”

Billiat has been phenomenal and he is jointly leading the scoring charts with nine goals along with CAPS United’s William Manondo. But it is his current form that has left many convinced that he is still good enough for the Warriors from which he has retired.

His closest challenger for the July prize was Obriel Chirinda of Ngezi Platinum Stars who had a mere four votes, while Simba Bhora’s Tymon Machope got three nominations from the panel of coaches, captains and selected journalists.

Coach of the Month, Tonderai Ndiraya of Simba Bhora led his Shamva side to three wins and a single draw in July and he was also the odds on favourite to clinch the gong for July.

The former Dynamos mentor won it by a distance, getting 55 votes, 41 better than his closest rival Thomas Ruzive of Yadah who got just 14 votes.

Ngezi Platinum’s Takesure Chiragwi was third with six nominations.