Chronicle EditorZIMBABWE international Khama Billiat, who is Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup, believes this is the perfect chance for him to make the long-awaited overseas move by impressing the foreign scouts who will watch the matches in Japan from tomorrow up to December 18.The Mamelodi Sundowns talisman arrived yesterday in Hong Kong before connecting to Osaka with his South African Premiership outfit.
But Billiat, who is in running for the CAF African Player of the Year (Based in Africa), is excited that the bigger platform at the FIFA World Cup will expose him to a lot of scouts, who would be seeking to unearth fresh talent to clubs abroad.
“I will like to look at it in that way (to perform for potential scouts),” he told KickOff.
“This is why I am saying I need to go to these tournaments in the best form. I have already worked on certain areas that I think I am weak in because this is a lifetime opportunity which doesn’t come twice.
“You might get it once and if you don”t use it in doing your best it will be a disadvantage to your career,’ said Billiat.
The former Ajax Cape Town midfielder is hoping to be in the best of form during the matches.
“I think everyone is looking forward to that, to just be on top of their game. Even myself, I just believe that every game is an opportunity, even those that we play locally, because you never know who is watching.
“If you are on top of your game some people might get interested in you, but yes, it is a bigger tournament and bigger opportunity for us to really bring our best form and see what will happen afterwards.”
The tournament begins tomorrow with first round match between Kashima Antlers and Auckland City.
The African champions, on December 11, will meet the team which wins in the first round.
The European champions, and South American champions, will enter the competition at the semi-final stage with Real Madrid going into action on December 15 in Yokohama.
Billiat, who has been playing non-stop football since August when the South African Premiership got underway, is also expected to play an important role for the Warriors in the Nations Cup from January 14 in Gabon.
Even Zimbabwe national team coach Callisto Pasuwa believes the time is now ripe for Billiat to move from the Pretoria side following an outstanding season where he swept all the accolades on offer in the Absa Premiership.
Pasuwa believes the player has done his part in the South African Premiership and his talent now deserves a bigger platform.
In the past Billiat has been linked with clubs in France and Egypt which did not yield anything.
Billiat is heavily tipped to win the African accolade next month.
His teammates Dennis Onyango, Keegan Dolly and Hlompo Kekana and TP Mazembe and Zambian international Rainford Kalaba are the other players who have been shortlisted for the award– Sports Reporter/Kick Off.
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