FORMER Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa thinks Zimbabwe can only reach greater football heights if the country produces players who can qualify to play in the English Premier League.

The EPL is the most league in the world and Zimbabwe doesn’t have a single player in the English Premiership.

The last Zimbabwean to play in the EPL was Benjani Mwaruwari who played for Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers between 2008 and 2011.

The first Zimbabwean to feature in the English Premier League was Peter Ndlovu who joined Coventry in 1992.

Speaking at the Unilever-Shield/Chelsea Football Club Campaign launch in the capital Wednesday morning, Pasuwa who has been chosen as of the coaches in the talent search project, said it was high time Zimbabwe had players plying their trade in the EPL.

“As coaches we were looking for this (Shield partnership). Remember we once had one or two players in the EPL but now we have none and it’s not healthy for our football as a country.

“We need players playing in the top leagues,” said Pasuwa.

The Shield/Chelsea campaign will see four coaches Pasuwa, Alois Bunjira, Cosmos “Tsano” Zulu and Naison Muchekela going on a nationwide talent search for players between 18 and 24.

They will come with 30 players who will be part of a boot camp that should result in one player being selected to be part of the Africa XI team that will train at Chelsea’s training ground Cobham.

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Chelsea Football Club. Soccer is the most loved sport in Zimbabwe and is a key passion point for our consumers,” said Hilary Muzondiwa, managing Director of Unilever Zimbabwe.

And Pasuwa, a four time championship winning coach with Dynamos, feels this program could see disadvantaged and yet talented players in the remote areas getting an opportunity to realise their dreams.

“This the time for them to shine, there are some of the guys who are capable of playing in the Premier league but they don’t have the chance.

“Remember at one time we had a player like Alois Ngwerume he was chosen from a boozers side (Highdon) and went straight to South Africa, his social team had played in the Zifa Cup.

“Musona (Knowledge) was playing for an academy (Aces Academy) when he was taken to Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa,” said Pasuwa who has taken a sabbatical from coaching in the local Premiership.

The Shield/Chelsea Campaign launch was also attended by former soccer star Stanford Mtizwa, Harare City coach Mark Harrison and former Dynamos striker Edward Sadomba.