In this week's DoRego's blog, we feature Ajax Cape Town's Khama Billiat. The talented winger looks back on the season.
I think we played well and deserved to walk away with the three points against Golden Arrows. It was a nice game, we enjoyed it, we just did what the coach told us to do and things worked out as planned. It was a nice feeling. The other season we let things slip on the last day of the season and Orlando Pirates won the league, but in football you need to let things go. We learn from our mistakes and always want to do better next time. We pushed to the end. We never gave up and we kept on attacking so that we could score those goals that would ensure we avoided relegation. After winning that game we felt like champions!
It was a great feeling to avoid relegation. It's a pity that we were happy about avoiding relegation because I believe we shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place. We should have been fighting for the league title. But, at the same time, people need to give us a round of applause because it wasn't easy and we managed to survive. It says a lot about the fighting spirit we have in the team. After the game, the coach congratulated everybody and said next season we should start afresh. But he was as happy as the players!
We were conceding soft goals this season. In football if you don't score and then concede a lot, you'll probably find yourself in a situation you don't want to be in. It's been a learning process. We've learnt from this and will try to improve next season. I see a lot of people have put the blame on our goalkeeping department, but I won't go the same route because the defending starts with us upfront. We are the first defenders when we don't have the ball. I will blame everyone. Everyone needs to pull up their socks like we've done in these last three games. It's not about the goalkeeper. It's about the whole team, including myself. I don't know about the change of coaches, but the way I look at it, it also takes our game to the next level because every coach has his own opinion of the game and tactics. I think if we can pick up everything that every coach taught us, put it together and work on it, one day we will be great players. Look, it was about us, not the coaches. The coaches never tell us to go out there and concede goals.
Muhsin (Ertugral) is a great coach and it just shows in the three games he was involved in. I think he took the basic things that we didn't do right and worked on them. Like now when we don't have the ball, we become very tight and compact. Muhsin has been a great boost to us, he's an experienced coach and we respect him. He's shown how good he is and what he's capable of doing. I'd like to give credit to Muhsin for the job he's done. Yes, he can shout if he feels the need to, but personally, I feel okay with it because it's part of the game. Every coach is different. You can't expect your new coach to be like your previous coach. You should expect something new because it's a different coach. Of course everybody wants things to be done in the right way for us to achieve our goals. If things don't go well, he'll tell you right there. He'll stop the training and say, 'This is how I want things to be done.' He's someone that doesn't hide things. He's honest and open with everybody. He's a great coach, man. The best thing about him is his understanding of the players. His approach to every player is different. Within such a short period of time he seems to understand every one of us very well. It takes time for a coach to get to know his players, but with Muhsin it's been different. We needed someone like him and he came around!
Hmmm...like I always say, I'll never be satisfied with my current performance. I always want to do better. I don't think I've ever done what I wanted to do. I always want to reach the very top and although it's never easy, I keep on pushing myself. Every season I want to improve and be better than in the last season. My finishing needs to improve, as well as my decision-making in the box. There are many things that need to be done and I will keep on working hard. It's not easy. It demands a lot of work and a lot of concentration. I'll keep on pushing myself and one day I'll get there.
On my future? I love Ajax Cape Town. There are a lot of things that need to be discussed. I still need to discuss my future with George Comitis and my business manager. I'll see what's best for me, what's best for the club, what's best for everybody. Everybody needs to be happy with my decision. I don't know yet if I'll be joining one of the big teams in South Africa, but we'll see.
I want to thank the supporters for being with us through thick and thin. We always see them cheering and clapping hands for us. They are always happy to see us when we go to social responsibility events and always take pictures with us. They are so unbelievable and we really appreciate them. We know it wasn't the best of seasons. We love them and without them maybe we wouldn't have made it. This has boosted our morale for next season and has instilled belief within the team that we have people we can rely on. The victory on the weekend was for the supporters and we want to win cups for them next season and even fight for the league.
Khama Billiat,
Ajax Cape Town
