KHAMA IS ONE OF ‘SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYERS ABROAD’

Sports Reporter

IT’S a measure of the South African media’s obsession with Khama Billiat that he is even being considered, by some media organisations, as one of the “South African Players Abroad.”

During his lengthy stay in South Africa, Billiat transformed himself into a box-office attraction and, at one stage, was the highest paid footballer in Mzansi.

It is, therefore, understandable that the South African media will want to keep track of Billiat.

But, to try and consider him as one of the “South African Players Abroad” is absurd.

That is what KickOff, the leading online football magazine in South Africa, have done on their website.

KickOff have a space dedicated to South African footballers who are plying their trade outside the country’s football borders.

They track those footballers and bombard their readers with news about how those stars, who include the likes of Percy Tau and Lyle Foster, are doing.

This week, KickOff included Billiat on that space, devoted to the South African players, as the magazine gave its readers a report about how the Yadah star helped his team pick a point against FC Platinum on Wednesday.

“Fresh from a two-game suspension for reportedly slapping an opponent, talisman Khama Billiat was the hero for Yadah FC when he scored a late equaliser to salvage a draw against FC Platinum on Wednesday,” reads the report.

“FC Platinum could have been forgiven for believing they had collected all three points when Juan Matudza scored in the 77th minute to break the deadlock in what had been a tightly contested encounter.

“However, Billiat had other ideas as he proved his class with long-range effort in added time to rescue a point for the home side.

“Yadah have been without the former Kaizer Chiefs star in two games as he served a suspension for reportedly slapping an opposition player during a scuffle between Yadah and Herentals players when the two teams met at the start of May.

“The Miracle Boys drew one and won one of their matches in Billiat’s absence, with former SuperSport United man Evans Rusike taking up the mantle of match winner to help Yadah see off Arenel Movers.

“The suspension does not appear to have thrown ‘Gaucho’ off his form as he added yet another goal contribution to what is now four direct goal contributions from his last three appearances.”