Jordan Zemura: I want to show how much I love Bournemouth

While just under 10,000 supporters were back inside a sold-out Vitality Stadium to witness Friday night’s fixture against West Bromwich Albion in person, 150 miles away proud family members of Jordan Zemura were watching on in anticipation.

It was already a big day for Zemura, making the first league start of his career. But, as seen first-hand during his interview with the Daily Echo, it was a big day for the whole family, some of whom made the trip from Kent.

“These are my brothers Hunter and Jesse and my little cousin,” Zemura explained as the pitchside chat was briefly gate-crashed.

“They mean the world to me. I’ll get a bit of stick from them later!”

In fact, the stick came almost straightaway, with Zemura’s young siblings keen to quiz the full-back on some “dirty tackles” during the contest with the Baggies.

“They were born in London and live in Kent now – I’ll give a little shout-out to the Isle of Sheppey,” said Zemura.

“I think there were a lot of people there watching me (on Friday), so I’ll give a little shout-out to my family back there.”

Asked if he has any family with him in Bournemouth, Zemura added: “No, I live by myself. I’ll give a little shout-out as well to the digs family that have looked after me. Lisa, Gaz, Jamie, Jess, everyone. There’s a whole load of people, when I first came down here three years ago, they just welcomed me with open arms.

“It’s very emotional for me because they’ve literally just welcomed me in and made me feel at home here.

“When I step out on the pitch here or do anything for the club, it feels like that.

“It’s not a lie. It’s not like I’m just saying that. Honestly, I love Bournemouth.

“They’ve given me an opportunity to perform and now I’m just going to do everything I can to show them how much it means to me.”

Zemura got his big breakthrough into Cherries’ senior squad last season, featuring five times, including playing for more than an hour against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

Having been released by Charlton Athletic, the Lambeth-born ace was snapped up by Cherries after a trial period, signing a one-year deal with the club in the summer of 2019.

The Zimbabwe international earned a new contract the following year, but had to wait until Friday for a first league start, with just four Championship minutes under his belt prior to his start against the Baggies.

And after coming through the full 90 minutes, including playing a key role in Cherries’ second goal of the 2-2 draw, Zemura feels like his first-team career is starting all over again.

Asked if he was nervous at all about starting in front of a packed house, live on the Sky cameras to open the season, the 21-year-old said: “That’s a good question. It’s a weird one to be fair, because at the end of the day, I’ve been playing football since I was six.

“The fans coming back in, to be fair that was the one thing I was thinking about most. It was like another debut for me.

“When I made my debut last year it was empty, it was quiet so I could hear the management and stuff like that. But this time it was like - the fans are here now, I want them to see me, I want them to know what I’m about, I want them to see how much it means to me to play for the club and stuff like that.

“So in all those aspects, I wasn’t nervous as such because I’ve been doing this for such a long time, I’ve been doing this since I was six years old, so I was relishing the moment. I couldn’t wait for it.

“I can’t wait for next week now. For the other 45 games, I just want to play as many games as I can and just hopefully bring a good output.”

He added: “Last year we played against City away at the Etihad and it was empty and it was a bit gutting because it was like, imagine that, 60,000 Mancunians in the stadium, giving you grief.

“But there was a few Midlands giving us grief (on Friday). All due respect, they were top class as well. I think they brought a good atmosphere and I thought the Cherries were top class as well.

“The fans, the atmosphere, the home end, the Steve Fletcher Stand, I thought everyone was amazing. It was just rocking.

“I couldn’t even hear what the people were saying on the side. It was amazing. I thought the atmosphere was incredible. I can’t wait to hear the Bournemouth faithful away at Forest next week.”

Zemura watched on either from the bench or from the stands for the majority of last season, with the likes of Adam Smith, Diego Rico or Lloyd Kelly regularly preferred at left-back.

Asked if he wondered whether his chance to stake his claim might never come at Cherries, Zemura said: “Even when the first management were here in Eddie Howe and with JT (Jason Tindall) and Jonathan Woodgate, it was all about showing them that I’m ready and showing them that I’m good enough.

“I think in training sessions I showed that. But it takes a lot for a manager at the end of the day to show that trust in a youth player, because he’s got to be able to put you in and for you not to crumble.

“I think it’s the perfect timing. I’m 21 now, I’m a grown lad, I’m not a little boy anymore, I’m ready.

“I want the manager to be able to tell me I’m not doing well. I want the manager to be able to say ‘that’s not good enough’.

“If he’s got to give me a shout at half-time, I want to take it on the chin.”

When Zemura joined Cherries’ academy in 2019, he immediately went on a pre-season trip to Alicante. Six more of the club’s under-21s from that camp were also part of the first-team matchday squad on Friday night, with 11 of the 18 in total having come through the club’s academy.

“Honestly, give all credit and all shouts to Shaun Cooper, Mark Molesley, Gaz Stewart, Sam Hall, Ally Barlow, all the management team who was with us in the under-21s,” said Zemura.

“They helped us, they’ve told us what the club want to achieve, what the club want to perform and stuff like that. I couldn’t thank them enough for getting us to this point now.”