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Khama Billiat

Bothwell  Mahlengwe Correspondent
MY constituency is one that never ceases to amaze me — we have so many examples of the good and bad, but we seem like we don’t learn.

We have good examples of how discipline, hard work, organisation and ambition leads to amazing results and rewards. We also have examples of how indiscipline, laziness, waywardness and chaos results in wasted talent. A footballer’s playing profession is one of the shortest careers in the world.

Very few lucky professionals go beyond 35 years of age still active, but the phrase “make hay while the sun still shines,’’ seems non-existent among the majority of our players.

I remember back in 1993 when I had a brief stint with Black Aces and experienced first-hand the good and the bad examples.

I saw a 27-year-old behaving like a teenager, bunking training, faking injuries, abusing alcohol and drugs and ruining the remainder of his career.

And we had a hard working guy from Bulawayo whose life was so focused on his football.

His story was of a difficult upbringing that robbed him of his education early while under the care of a poor, but loving grandmother, he remained focused on a flourishing career in South Africa and it was no surprise Rabson Muchichwa ended making it big there.

In him, I saw a man who didn’t take his lack of formal education as an excuse for lack of ambition.

Norman Mapeza, Dickson Choto, Kennedy Nagoli, Kaitano Tembo, Esrom Nyandoro, Tinashe Nengomasha, Edward Sadomba, Musa Mguni and Benjani Maruwari are some from the old crop who did well for themselves.

And we have Knowledge Musona, Marvellous Nakamba, Willard Katsande and Costa Nhamoinesu soaring high from the current generation.

It’s not a mistake that I didn’t include Khama Billiat on that list. South Africa wasn’t and isn’t supposed to be his final destination.

Locally there is one player I feel let himself and the nation down and will rue the lost opportunity for the rest of his life — Joel Ngodzo.

He is now 30 and a substitute at CAPS United who are forced to use injury-prone Tafadzwa Rusike, sometimes playing him through the pain barrier, when Josta is there.

And the boy is unmoved and believes sheer laziness is the way to go about it.

Then we have Denver Mukamba, a player with excellent dribbling skills, amazing shooting power for his frame and pin-point crosses.

Everyone expected more from the boy when he moved to South Africa, but wayward behaviour and lack of focus were his major let down.

Luckily he is still young and can rekindle his career, but only if he keeps away from alcohol and substance abuse.

I’m glad he is showing a huge change in attitude and consistency although he should cut that show-boating nonsense.

Then there is Denis Dauda, our best player just three years ago, consumed by the perils of social media he couldn’t contain his frustrations from salaries and bonuses payment delays and decided to issue an ill-informed Facebook statement just an hour before the CAPS/Yadah game.

An atrocious performance that afternoon and his subsequent transfer from CAPS to Yadah days after that match just stinks.

Unfortunately, he is not alone on the social media frenzy.

Tendai Ndoro was doing well until he decided to turn himself into a social media star, complete with pictures of him and a female counterpart seemingly holding each other in a funny way.

A Golden Boot that was his for the taking lost in the mist that followed.

Then, there is Khama.

Many people wonder why Khama is still stuck in Super Diski when Thulani Serero and Keegan Dolly got jobs in Europe.

Type the name Khama Billiat on Google and see the funny stories that come up as our boy is consumed by the jaws of social issues at a time he should be concentrating on his career.

He could be our Jack Wilshire, the Arsenal and England midfielder who failed to realise his full potential because he wanted to be a party animal, puffing cigars and boozing combined.

Why can’t our boys learn?

Bothwell Mahlengwe is a retired Premiership footballer and banker and can be contacted, for feedback, on the email: [email protected]