Warriors team manager Wellington Mpandare has blasted Mlungisi “Professor” Ngubane after he made age-cheating allegations against Kaizer Chiefs forward Khama Billiat.
Ngubane suggested that Billiat could have lied about his age, and it’s now affecting his performance on the field.
The South African gaffer also claimed the former Warriors international’s alleged wild partying could also be the reason behind his slump in form.
The 32-year-old Billiat hasn’t reached top form since joining Amakhosi in July 2018.
Billiat, who won the 2016 PSL Player of the Year, is yet to find the back of the net this term, having played in eight games.
He endured his worst campaign in South Africa during the 2020/21 season after scoring just two goals across all competitions.
But Mpandare believes Khama’s poor performances have nothing to do with his age nor his alleged partying.
The Warriors team manager, who worked with the player for over a decade, told KickOff: “Does he realize how damaging it is to make accusations that Khama is an age cheat?
“What proof does he have?
“Only a failed coach who is not even a professor can make such comments.
“To make accusations that Khama doesn’t sleep is nonsense because Khama is boring when it comes to sleeping.
“I have worked with Khama for more than 10 years and what I know is that he loves sleeping more than any other player in the squad.
“Khama and Divine Lunga are the heaviest sleepers in camp, and this is not because they ever go out but because that is how they are.
“They both enjoy their rest.”
Mpandare added: “So, for this old man to suggest Khama is not sleeping borders on misinformed opinions.
“Has this Ngubane ever worked with Khama to suggest he doesn’t sleep enough?
“This would have carried weight if it was coming from Pitso Mosimane or Arthur Zwane and not an old man who failed as a coach and is now looking for relevance,” says Mpandare.
“To question Khama’s earnings shows that he is a bitter old man looking for relevance because he has never earned such money in his life.
“Whatever it is that Khama is earning he deserves it because he never robbed anyone.
“At 2019 AFCON in Egypt, Khama had so many offers coming through me from Zamalek, Al Ahly and Saudi Arabia which were better than what he was getting in South Africa, but he decided he wants to stay at Chiefs because he has a bond with South Africa.”
Mpandare continued: “This old man is a failed coach and should do research first on Khama before uttering anything on all these allegations on him.
“He is a bitter old man who earned peanuts and now wants to find relevance in pushing down Khama because he knows Khama has a big profile.
“Maybe this Professor wishes he was Khama and earning what Khama is earning but unfortunately there is only one Khama.
“This man is a frustrated failed coach and so shouldn’t be making such noise about a player he has never worked with or met.”