Alois Bunjira believes Khama Billiat has the potential to become what David Beckham was to Major League Soccer for the Zimbabwean Premier League, but still feels the former Kaizer Chiefs star should have stayed in the PSL instead of making a move back home.
Billiat's move to Yadah FC could bring much needed attention to a Zimbabwean Premier League that has not really been caught the eye of spectators beyond the borders of the country.
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Back in 2007, former England captain Beckham made the jaw-dropping move to the MLS, leaving the Galacticos of Real Madrid to sign a contract with LA Galaxy. It was this move that shined a brighter light on a league that has since managed to attract big names stars such as Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Gonzalo Higuain and, in more recent times, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets as well as Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Billiat's move back to Zimbabwe could inspire more players from the country to return to the league in their twilight years to inspire the up and coming youngsters, but Bunjira has mixed feelings about his move.
"I would want to know what happened in South Africa, because when a player is coming from Mamelodi Sundowns and then moves to Kaizer Chiefs, the next move should still be in the Premier Soccer League in South Africa. You see like what Willard Katsande did. He went from Chiefs to Sekhukhune United. That kind of move, but it cannot be straight from Chiefs to Zim. I would want to understand what exactly happened at Chiefs and why didn't he get a chance to play for another club in South Africa. Then, maybe after two years, he could have come back to Zimbabwe to wind down his career because he is 33," Bunjira said to the Siya crew.
"The former Mamelodi Sundowns winger added, "He is younger than Knowledge Musona, but Knowledge is still playing in Saudi Arabia and he is scoring. I thought he still had a few more years in South Africa before he could come back home. It's a good thing for Zimbabwean players to finish their career in Zimbabwe. I still think it's a good thing for them to come back and inspire the youngsters and show them the ropes, like what Benni McCarthy, Shoes Moshoeu, Doctor Khumalo, Eric Tinkler and Shaun Bartlett did. They all went back to finish their careers in South Africa. Fani Madida did that as well. I remember we played with him at Wits.
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"So, it's nice when Zimbabwe players to finish their careers here because it's good for the league, no doubt about it. It gives the league mileage because now we are talking about it. If Khama did not come back here, we would not talk about it. So, he has given the league the attention that was missing. People who are following his career will want to see how he is doing."
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