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A LEADING Zimbabwean football pundit has come out in full support of Khama Billiat, after the Warriors star was again the subject of vicious criticism yesterday.

A report in the South African media claimed Kaizer Chiefs were given the wrong Billiat when they acquired the Zimbabwean star from Mamelodi Sundowns.

Makomborero Mutimukulu, who works for the Zimpapers TV network, ZTN, said the criticism of Billiat was unfair.

“You can’t expect @khama_Billiat11 to bulldoze his way past defenders like a rugby player,’’ he reacted on Twitter.

“He waltzes through.

“Sadly @KaizerChiefs, such skills are stifled by old school tactics employed by a seemingly bitter old man.

“It’s not Khama’s fault that @KaizerChiefs are afraid of playing the ball. They score and want to close shop.

“They would rather win 1-0 than 3-2. Khama was part of football romantics not these Amakhosi artisans.’’

This followed fierce criticism of Billiat by former Chiefs midfielder, Jabulani Mendu, who challenged the Zimbabwean to pull up his socks and give the club value for the money they spent on him.

Mendu said he was not impressed with what the former Sundowns man has contributed for Amakhosi this season, especially in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Bidvest Wits, where the Zimbabwean looked flat.

“First they need to check if Sundowns gave them the right Khama Billiat, because I don’t think Sundowns gave Kaizer Chiefs the right Khama Billiat,” Mendu told KickOff.com.

“Khama doesn’t have that surprise element anymore. That bite, that hunger to be the best on the field for that day. To score goals, to create goals, creativity. . .  it’s no more there. What happened?

“Boy, do you need a hug? What do you need? Tell us, maybe we can help. If Khama can pull up his socks, if Khama can play the way we know his capabilities, Chiefs could have won this league long time.

“I mean how many goals has he scored this season? So I’m saying Khama must catch a wake-up, Kaizer Chiefs needs him.

“South African football-loving people like us we need the Khama that gave us the wow moments, the Khama that gave us ‘what a goal’, the Khama that gave us ‘did he really do that?’… I don’t know.

“It’s hurting to talk about Khama. I think he’s giving Kaizer Chiefs a raw deal. That’s all I can say. I think his heart is not there. I’m sorry.”

With many of the club’s supporters not happy with the two points dropped on Wednesday, Mendu said people should not be too harsh on the team as they were playing their first game in almost five months.

“Eish my brother, look we can’t judge Wednesday’s performance. . . let’s be honest, how many months without kicking a ball? Without playing with your friends with your teammates,” he reasons.

“The players they will have to adjust again to that competitiveness. The fact that they scored, the fact that they hit the crossbar, the fact that they created goals, it’s a good sign for me.

“Look, going to Sundowns, to be safe they need to draw the game. Because I don’t see them beating Sundowns, sorry.

“Best result will be to draw with Sundowns, then they know Sundowns dropped two points. It’s all about maths now.

“The difference between Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns. . . Sundowns knows how to win. Not to disrespect Kaizer Chiefs players but how many of them can say, ‘I’ve won this’?

“I can’t say they can win it, I can’t say they will lose it, but it’s going to be tough. We wish them well but this pandemic disturbed everything, it’s going to be tough.” — Sports Reporter/KickOff.com.