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JOHANNESBURG – Gavin Hunt wants Khama Billiat to stay on at Kaizer Chiefs.

At least that’s what the Amakhosi mentor suggested when asked about the nimble-footed Zimbabwean playmaker after their 1-0 win over Orlando Pirates in a DStv Premiership Soweto derby match on Sunday.

Answering a question on what he is looking to work on during the upcoming FIFA break, Hunt said he would be fixing Billiat to ensure he gets fit as the team needs him.

“We need Khama Billiat back,” said Hunt.

“Obviously as you saw today I couldn’t make a change.

I didn’t have anyone on the bench to make a change (with).

So, that was unfortunate but that’s how it is.

“We’ve got to get Khama and (Leonardo) Castro fit again so we can have a little bit of numbers up front.”

There have been suggestions in the media that Billiat is on his way out of Naturena as he doesn’t fit in Hunt’s plans, but he denied this.

“He is in the plans, it’s only people like you who say he’s not on the plans, I don’t know where this story comes from.

“We need to get him fit.

He had a broken leg, bit he’s jogging now and need to get him some game time in (during the Fifa break),” said the mentor.

Hunt also praised Bernard Parker for an incredible performance anchoring the Amakhosi midfield and not allowing Pirates to dominate as had been expected.

“Parker was outstanding in midfield, we didn’t have enough players in midfield and we played him there.

We’ve played him there a number of times.

He was excellent when we played in Angola, and in previous games as well,” he said.

Hunt said the win over their tradition and biggest rivals is a big morale boost, something they have been craving for, for a while.

“It’s huge. Our situation in the league is not really good. We need to get ourselves too many draws.

“You know in similar games (to this one) we have had four games where we went 1-0 up, against SuperSport (United), (Bloemfontein) Celtic, Baroka but then ended up drawing 1-1.

“Those are games we should have won, and we didn’t.

We need to get ourselves up the league.” – The Citizen