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BOURNEMOUTH. — Zimbabwean defender Jordan Zemura insisted his main focus was on performing on the pitch, rather than his contract at English Premiership football club AFC Bournemouth but insisted: “This is a club I owe so much to.”
The full-back was speaking after playing 90 minutes for the Dorset outfit, during their 0-0 draw against Brentford on Saturday.
Zemura burst on to the scene at Cherries under Scott Parker last season, playing 33 times in the Championship to help seal promotion.
He has featured seven times since stepping up to English Premier League level this season, with Cherries currently 13th in the table after eight games played.
Zemura’s current deal at Cherries is understood to expire at the end of this season. Asked for an update on his contract situation, the 22-year-old told the Daily Echo: “I am currently just focusing on the football, really.
“That’s a generic answer but just literally focusing on the football and then letting everyone take care of it itself and stuff like that.”
Previously spending time on the books of Charlton and QPR, Zemura joined Cherries following a successful trial at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Having signed a fresh deal in December 2020, Cherries announced in March this year they had taken up their option to extend Zemura’s contract until June 2023.
Asked how much he would like to stay if terms could be agreed, the defender said: “Yeah of course. This is a club I owe so much to and stuff like that.
“From the fans, to the staff, to the families that have let me into their homes when I was in the Under-23s.
“I would like to continue this. So in all due time, when it will be, will be.”
London-born Zemura has started all four of Cherries’ most recent league games, where they have been unbeaten under interim boss Gary O’Neil. Asked what it meant to him to step up to the top-flight this season, he replied: “Last season was a season that I’ll never forget. I’ll take it along with me, playing the games
“But this year, the Premier League is something different.
“It’s something you just sleep about, you dream about and now to live it is just something I am taking with two hands and not trying to miss the moment.
“I’m trying to enjoy every game, every minute — step out on the pitch and show myself against these top athletes, what I am capable of. Every game I am just going to keep on taking it as much as I can.”
Meanwhile, Zemura insisted O’Neil had done a “fantastic job” as interim boss at English Premiership football club AFC Bournemouth and added: “He is always pushing us for more.”
O’Neil is unbeaten in four games at the helm of the Dorset club, following the sacking of Scott Parker back in August.
He is, at the time of writing, favourite to land the role with the bookmakers on a full-time basis.
And speaking to the Daily Echo after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Brentford, Zemura revealed the squad’s “love” for the former Portsmouth midfielder.
Asked about the job done by O’Neil since stepping into the hotseat, Zemura said: “Fantastic job. We love Gaz.
“He has been here for a while now, two seasons. He’s just a great person, great manager, great guy.
“You can see as players, he just gives us the freedom to embrace ourselves on the pitch and not think too much of it.
“He is always giving us opportunities to play freely and not put too much on us. Just reminding us about the quality we have in the room.
“When we do training and stuff like that, he is always pushing us for more.”
Cherries’ next test comes against Leicester City in the English Premier League at Vitality Stadium on Saturday (4pm).
Zemura is expected to be involved when Cherries host Leicester City on Saturday. — Daily Echo
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