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Aaron Dube in Johannesburg, South Africa
FORMER Warriors leftback Onismor Bhasera is disappointed that Zimbabwe will not be among the participating teams at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals to be hosted by Equatorial Guinea.The former Kaizer Chiefs and Plymouth Argyle defender said the Warriors had some of the best players on the continent.

He said it was distressing not to be counted among the best on the continent.

“Being at the Nations Cup finals is a milestone for any player. Whatever is hindering the country to be successful on the international scale must be looked at and be rectified immediately. Considering the quality of players we have currently there’s no way that we can be eliminated by countries like Tanzania, surely something is wrong in our football. I believe we can match countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast pound for pound,” said the Bidvest Wits player.

Bhasera said the country has the likes of Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, Willard Katsande, Cuthbert Malajila, Milton Ncube, Partson Jaure and other players who ply their trade in Europe.

“I’ve my country at heart, I want to see it succeed in the beautiful game,” said the former Kaizer Chiefs player.

The skillful leftback added that the country has quality junior players who are ready to take the country to another level.

Bhasera is among the country’s players who managed to break into European leagues.

Other players include Peter Ndlovu who played for Coventry City, Bruce Grobbelaar for Liverpool, Benjani Mwaruwari, Manchester City; Henry Mckop for Bristol City, Agent Sawu, Vitalis Takawira and the late Adam Ndlovu and Benjamin Nkonjera in Switzerland, Madinda Ndlovu, Tito Paketh, Willard Khumalo, Ephraim Chawanda in Germany, Rahman Gumbo and John Phiri in Poland in the 1990s.

These are players who would have played in any African national team during their time.

With such talent, the country should have conquered Africa and won the Nations Cup on several occasions after Independence or even qualified for the Fifa World Cup finals.