The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE Warriors are still looking forward to a change of heart from Khama Billiat that might see the Kaiser Chiefs talisman returning to the national team fold ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations that kicks off in January next year.
Billiat had indicated his intention to retire from international football though the national team technical department felt that the striker is still needed.
They then opened negotiations with the South African-based forward.
In an interview on the sidelines of Manicaland Juniors of Excellence (MAJESA) awards ceremony at a local hotel in Mutare on Wednesday, national team general manager Wellington Mpandare said: “We are still hopeful that Khama Billiat will be part of the squad to the Nations Cup. Yes, we have omitted his name in the provisional squad announced, but remember he was part of the initial 40 member squad that was announced earlier.
“He is already registered. We could not talk to him as we had planned because of the bubble concept. His team is in a bubble as per Covid-19 regulations so it would not have been proper for us to go down to SA to talk to him in breach of that protocol. We will certainly be meeting him soon to finalise on his inclusion.”
Zimbabwe is preparing for its 3rd appearance at the continental football showpiece, albeit off the field politics that have seen the country’s sports regulatory body, the Sports and Recreation Commission, suspending the Zifa board and replaced it with an interim restructuring committee.
Fifa yesterday responded by giving a January 3, 2022 ultimatum for the SRC to restore the previous administrative status quo or face exclusion from the global football family.
