The only thing missing from Themba Zwane's fantastic football career is that he has not had an opportunity to play his football abroad and showcase his talent to the world.
There is no denying that he has had an incredible career and will be remembered as one of the finest players the PSL has ever seen, but a player like Zwane should have long gone to Europe, and the top leagues at that.
The people managing him should have worked tirelessly on a deal to get him abroad in his younger years. He definitely has the quality to play in some of the best leagues in Europe, but at 34, it looks like we will never get to see the midfielder showcasing his talent on a bigger platform.
On Sunday evening, as Bafana Bafana thumped Namibia to give themselves some hope of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout phase, I kept on asking myself how on earth Zwane has not had an opportunity to play abroad. Surely some of the scouts at AFCON in Ivory Coast must have been kicking themselves, wondering why they had not seen the 34-year-old many years ago.
The man is a quality player and has been consistent for far too long in his career, constantly getting nominated for the end of season awards in the PSL.
Even national team coach Hugo Broos could not ignore the player. Initially, the Belgian coach was adamant that he would not include the player in his Bafana Bafana squad, looking at his age, but now the coach finds it difficult to leave the playmaker out of his starting line-up for the big matches. That's just how good Zwane is.
His performances for both club and country are hard to ignore, so there are people who have probably noticed him, but may be skeptical to sign a player at his age, though nothing is impossible in the world we are in right now.
At 34, Zwane is arguably the most important player at Sundowns, and it's evident that he is our most potent attacking force in the national team. In South Africa, players at that age often find themselves clubless or game time is hard to come by. But Zwane is proving to be an important player for both club and national team.
Up to this point, Zwane has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Sundowns and has been a regular for Bafana, showing that his age has nothing to do with how well he can perform on the pitch. From what I know and have been told by people who work at Sundowns, Zwane looks after his body well and does extra work to ensure he is always on top of his game. This is commitment from someone who is determined to keep playing for a few more years before calling it a day.
As I end this column, I ask again: How on earth is Zwane not overseas? It just doesn't feel right that a player of his quality may never get to experience playing in the top leagues of world football.
