admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
YADAH coach Thomas Ruzive didn’t know what to expect from Khama Billiat.
The former Warriors star came aboard the Yadah ship after the team paid US$20 000 signing-on fees.
“I had never worked with Khama Billiat and thinking about his status alone made me believe that he would be tricky to work with,” said Ruzive.
“I was following closely the issue around his coming back to play in Zimbabwe. So, when I was told that we had won his signature, I sat out there and I was strategising on how to handle him.”
Soon, they were together at the training ground. He was very respectful. He assured me that he would deliver the goods and also promised the players to help out.
“He tried to get closer to everyone and never talked highly of himself.
“It was always ‘we’ not ‘I’ from him.
“We thought he would be that arrogant since he has seen it all but he just showed us that he was a humble young man who was still willing to learn despite achieving so much in his career.”
Ruzive added:
“I liked his work ethic right from day one and it has never changed,” he said.
“Billiat is a hard worker. We train as a team and he always asks for an individual plan from me.
“He is an inspiration to the rest of the team and we really enjoy working with him.
“I am not really surprised with what he is doing right now. He still has a lot to offer to football.”
Ruzive said the system at Yadah has helped Billiat to settle in fast.
“Yadah has got a very good system which is proving to be efficient.
“We are led by a listening club owner Prophet Walter Magaya. He loves football and that passion drives all of us and the players.
“He comes to cheer us at training and the players are very much motivated by that. The management, the technical team, the players and all other staff make it very easy because we are guided by discipline which is a core principle at the team, thanks to Prophet Magaya’s vision.”
With eight goals to his name, the former Warriors star is already one of the favourites to win the Golden Boot this season.
He is also a front-runner for the revered Soccer Star of the Year accolade if he continues on the current trajectory.
Online Reporter