INJURED Warriors talisman, Khama Billiat has expressed his disappointment at missing Zimbabwe’s crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification opener set for the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Billiat, entangled in a club versus country spat, has been ruled out of the tie with his club Sundowns flying him into the country yesterday to be assessed by Warriors’ doctors to determine the extent of his injury.
His manager at Sundowns, Peter Ndlovu, who travelled with Billiat to Harare yesterday, said the forward, who missed his team’s Caf Champions League match last weekend, is out for another two to three weeks.
The Warriors winger suffered an ankle injury in an Absa premier league match against Maritzburg some four weeks ago but had hoped he will be fit for the Afcon match leading to his inclusion in the Zimbabwe squad.
“I am so disappointed. If there was anything I could do to be fit and play, I would play any day but sadly its not in my control. I always want to represent my country, I feel like I have so much to offer the nation,” he told reporters yesterday.
“For me to be on the list makes me want to play because there are so many Zimbabweans that are very good, but I am getting a chance to represent my country.”
Ndlovu said, Billiat is yet to even begin light training and is still working in the gym, as the club sweats on his availability for the June 21 Caf Champions league return fixture away to Esperance in Tunisia.
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Billiat’s situation caused friction between Sundowns and the Warriors manager, Wellington Mupandare, who accused Ndlovu of blocking Billiat’s the release.
Billiat also had his say on the matter.
“We all don’t take things the same way; some people just want whoever they want to see in the field irrespective of the situation. I understand everyone wants the nation to succeed, but we should also leave room for those who do not understand,” he said.
Billiat will travel back to his South African base as soon as the Warriors doctors finish assessing him.
He wished the Warriors luck.
“I want to say good luck to the nation. I believe we didn’t do what we wanted to do in the last Afcon finals but we can still be better this time around,” he said.
