While the drama surrounding Khama Billiat’s whereabouts, Kaizer Chiefs have clarified the future of the talented attacker, saying he has not gone AWOL.
Chiefs said Billiat has not gone AWOL as he remains under no contract at Naturena, contrary to reports that he has disappeared.
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According to Chiefs corporate communications manager, Vina Maphosa, he said Billiat’s situation is technical and it’s difficult to say the player has gone AWOL.
CHIEFS SAY BILLIAT HAS NOT GONE AWOL
Speaking to SABC radio, Maphosa said the former Mamelodi Sundowns player is not absent without an official leave, simply because he is currently not contracted to the club.
The South African published that contract negotiations have hit a snag between Billiat and Chiefs owing to the player refusing to take a pay cut.
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“It’s a very technical situation and actually awkward to call it ‘AWOL’ when the contract has expired on the 30th but our concern is on humanitarian grounds, that wherever he is he is safe,” he said, as per Thabiso Mosia on Radio2000.
“Khama is a marquee player and a very important player we’ve had in recent times. Remember when we signed him he was not only dubbed ‘marquee’, he was dubbed ‘the biggest coup’ of the transfer window.
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“He is, of course, a very important player that we wish could be on the table with us to express his concerns and we close the chapter on good terms, if we have to close it.
“Where we’re standing and you will understand the matters of negotiation are behind closed doors, the merit of discussions and the offer we’ve put on the table are neither here nor there because we’re dealing with a party that is obviously not there to talk for himself to the club.
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“The player is nowhere to be found, but he was offered a contract – so that’s where we stand.”
CHIEFS WANTED TO KEEP THE ATTACKER
Amakhosi wanted to retain the former Ajax Cape Town star, Billiat and Maphosa added that talks are abandoned.
The spokesman also confirmed that Billiat initially did arrive for the resumption of pre-season, even though he reported sick before the team left for their current camp.
“Khama reported for duty when we started this current pre-season, he was there, he did the medical test, he took part in the light training sessions,” he added.
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“I can also reveal that the last time he reported sick as well at the training and he didn’t take part in the training with us at the village.
“I need to put that to rest, without a contract he is not obliged [to take part in training]. As a professional outfit that we are, we just expect him to respond.
“The intention was to keep him, but at this stage, we’re talking in past tense because the negotiations have been abandoned at this stage.”
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