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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

JORDAN Zemura has revealed he receives a flurry of supportive messages from his followers in Zimbabwe who want to see his team survive the chop in the English Premier Soccer League.

The Warriors utility plies his trade with AFC Bournemouth who are battling for survival in the English top-flight.

The Dorset club have already seen a change at the top with Scott Parker, who masterminded their promotion from the second-tier last year, having already been replaced by Gary O’Neil due to poor results.

Zemura has not been affected by the change and the Warriors star has retained his position in the squad that did themselves a huge favour last weekend when beating Wolves 1-0 to move away from the red zone.

It was a match that Zemura reasserted his prowess and showed he would be key to the club’s survival fight.

Bournemouth sit on position 17 on the English Premier League log standings with 21 points to their name, just three above table anchors Southampton after 23 match days.

Zemura is a huge part of the Cherries’ survival series and the 23-year-old Zimbabwean defender can’t call for more motivation than receiving good wish messages from his countrymen.

“I can only say, I am humbled and thank you,” said Zemura.

 “Look, this is a tough situation we are faced with in all our match days. We keep on pushing and the messages have been helping me a lot.

“I think we picked a massive three points in our last match against Wolves and I would like to comment on my teammates for the spirited show. The result showed we are really in a fighting mode.

“Recently we’ve missed out on these three points by fine margins but last weekend stepped up to the plate. We are happy to have picked those points and they will definitely help us on our quest to stay in this league.”

Zemura said the English Premier League is the toughest league in the world but he believes the Cherries have what it takes to stay afloat.

“The team has been hovering around the drop zone, of course, but I believe that we can stay up, it’s the toughest league in the world filled with so many talented teams, coaches and players. 

“So we have to continue to show why we are here and keep working hard but I have no doubt, come the end of the season, we will be in a good place.

“We just have to keep sticking together believing in ourselves as a team and fighting for each other. That is what makes the difference. A team that will go to war with each other is massive.”

The full-back, who is also effective operating in midfield, is also hopeful that the FIFA suspension on Zimbabwe would be lifted in time to enable him and other players a chance to fight for qualification for international tournaments.

“It’s truly sad, that we haven’t come to a resolution as a country.

“My fellow international players have made comments about the ongoing situation (in Zimbabwe) and I just second that and voice the same pain not being able to represent your country is just unbelievably painful. I hope we can come to fix the issue sooner rather than later.

“The 2026 World Cup will be here soon and I’ll be devastated not to be given the chance to attempt to qualify.”

Zemura will be sitting in the cold as most of his Bournemouth teammates join their national teams for international fixtures scheduled for next month.

But for now, he will have to fully focus on Bournemouth’s survival series with a bumper fixture against Manchester City up next at the Vitality Stadium this Saturday.

It will probably be an emotional tie for the Zimbabwean who debuted for Bournemouth against the same side.