Bhasera wins UK permit appeal

By Edward Marange

Zimbabwe will have a second player plying his trade in the English Premiership after Onismor Bhasera won his appeal for a work permit to join Portsmouth after impressing on trials.

Bhasera joins countryman Benjani who is still contracted to Manchester City despite a massive summer recruitment of expensive players. Peter Ndlovu and Bruce Grobbelaar are the only other Zimbabweans to have played in England.

Last week Nehanda Radio reported how Bhasera was denied a work permit because Zimbabwe was not in the top 70 of the FIFA Coca Cola World rankings. Portsmouth Chief Executive Peter Storrie admitted even before the application that Bhasera stood little chance of getting the permit because of stringent UK Home Office rules.

Storrie however vowed they would appeal on compassionate grounds given Zimbabwe’s current situation.

“The lad is a good player and has been on trial. We will now apply for a work permit. He’s played all the games for Zimbabwe; there are no issues with that at all. But unfortunately Zimbabwe needs to be in the top 70 but are 97th, so it would mean an appeal process,” Storrie said.

The former Kaizer Chiefs left-back has now successfully obtained a work permit and is set to seal his switch to Portsmouth next week. Nehanda Radio understands Bhasera has already traveled to South Africa from Harare to wind up his personal business.

He is expected to sign a three year deal with Portsmouth. The club already has several African players including South African captain Aaron Mokoena, Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal), John Utaka, Nwankwo Kanu (both Nigeria) and Nadir Belhadj (Algeria).

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