Warriors utility player Jordan Zemura has expressed his delight after making his English Premier League (EPL) debut with AFC Bournemouth last weekend.
The highly rated left footed football star who is currently Bournemouth manager Scott Parker’s preferred full back played ninety minutes when the EPL new comers beat visitors Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium.
Speaking after the game, the Zimbabwean international told the Daily Echo he was “blessed and honoured to be able to play” in the EPL a league ranked amongst some of the best leagues in the world.
“I’m blessed and honoured to be able to play. I can only thank the club, thank the gaffer, thank the coaching staff, thank my family for putting me in this place. It’s a moment I won’t forget for sure,” he said.
Reacting to the 2-0 victory over the Steven Gerrard coached side on the opening day of the EPL, the 22-year-old defender said:
“I think that was massive for us because as a defensive unit we always try. We’re really close on the field, off the field, so to get a clean sheet is really nice for us.
“And personally, it’s always good to start the season with a clean sheet.”
Zemura became the sixth Zimbabwean player to play in the EPL after Peter Ndlovu, Benjani Mwaruwari, Brandon Galloway, Bruce Grobbelaar and Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba who was absent on Saturday when they lost to the Cherries.
Meanwhile, while Zemura is commanding the first jersey at Bournemouth things are looking different for Nakamba who has been absent for Villa since playing only a couple of games in their pre-season campaign.
Nakamba missed two practise matches versus Brisbane Roar and English Premier League giants Manchester United in July during Villa’s last pre-season games during their tour to Australia.
The Warriors star last featured in Steven Gerrard’s team in two of their friendly matches played against Walsall and Leeds United (9 and 17 July) respectively.
He played a combined 90 minutes in those two games playing 45 minutes each on both occasions.
It appears the arrival of French midfielder Boubakar Kamara during the summer transfer window could limit the Zimbabwean international midfielder much game time.
According to a reputable source close to the club, that spoke to Nehanda Radio, the midfielder ‘has fallen out of favour at the moment following the signing of Kamara’.
At one time last season, the former Bantu Rovers star was Gerrard’s first choice in the midfield department before sustaining a serious knee injury which placed him on the sidelines for close to four months.
Gerrard preferred Nakamba over Brazilian Douglas Luiz after the former created a formidable partnership with Scottish John McGinn who is now the new Villa skipper.
What do you mean when saying Worriors