‘Khama Billiat ripe for Europe’

By Langton Nyakwenda

Swiss coach Marc Duvillard believes Khama Billiat is ripe for a move to either the Spanish La Liga or the German Bundesliga.

But Duvillard – the founder of an Aces Youth Soccer Academy that has Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Silas Songani, George Chigova and Mitchelle Katsvairo among its graduates – reckons the English Premiership will be too much to handle for the 26-year old forward.

“Now is the time for him to move to a bigger challenge, he should now go to Europe because he has got the qualities to play in German or Spain. There is good space for a skilful player to shine in the Spanish La Liga and in Germany they play superb counter-attacking football, which suits Khama’s frame,” Duvillard assessed.

Billiat, the South African ABSA Player of the Year, has on numerous times been linked with European moves but nothing has materialised. With a height of 170cm and weight of about 59,8kg, many believe Billiat’s frame is his biggest disadvantage.

However, Duvillard says skill can compensate for that perceived weakness. After all, one Lionel Messi weighs in at a staggering 67kg and measures a towering 1,69m – even after expensive growth hormone treatment.

“Physically he is small and in football you have to do something extra ordinary for you to survive. Billiat realised that when he was still a young boy and we had to emphasise more on his ball control, speed and dribbling skills when he came to this Academy.

“Obviously he will struggle in a physical league like the English Premier League but (for) La Liga and Bundesliga, he certainly has the qualities for those,” said the Swiss coach.

Duvillard added that it was important for Billiat to move out of his comfort zone.

“There is money and a comfortable life at Sundowns which is closer to home so it is up to him to decide. My main worry though is that most player agents of today are sacrificing the players’ careers for money,” he said.

In a week that plaudits were showered on Billiat after he helped Mamelodi Sundowns to the CAF Champions League trophy, The Sunday Mail Sport visited the Aces Youth Soccer Academy in Parktown, Harare to check if there was another Khama on their conveyer belt of talennt.

There are about 100 players – including Kenneth Pasuwa and Panashe Mutasa, sons of Dynamos legends Kalisto and Lloyd respectively – who are housed at the academy which runs on a US$200 000 annual budget.

Established in 2001, the academy has a computerised lecture hall with a huge plasma television and drawing boards, a computer room, a coach’s room equipped with computers, a fully-fledged kitchen and a large dining hall.

Apart from English lessons, the players also undergo Information Technology and Publicity Management studies. Their diet is expertly managed.

“The game has gone more technological now and that is why we film all our training sessions and matches for video analysis afterwards.

The players have access to computers where they get You Tube videos of modern skills, interact on Facebook and Twitter.

“We also manage what they eat. Sadza and muriwo every day is not good for a developing football player,” laughed Duvillard.

The former Warriors coach said his Academy was on the verge of releasing five players with the potential of matching Billiat. Among the starlets is a highly-rated goalkeeper.

“We have got about five special players in our Under-18 group. I can’t reveal their names for management purposes but I can declare that they have the capacity to develop to the levels of Khama and Knowledge (Musona).

“As for the goalkeeper, Martin Mabhiza, he is an agile modern day keeper who plays with both his hands and feet. He will be better than (George) Chigova if he gets the right environment at club level. But the major problem we have here in Zimbabwe is that the majority of the Premier Soccer League coaches prefer madhalas (old players).

“They do not believe in young talent and it kills football. If you go to Belgium, Poland or Switzerland you find a number of 18-year-olds playing top flight football,” said a somewhat rueful Duvillard. The Sunday Mail