There wasn’t anyone happier to see Jordan Zemura return to the pitch than Jordan Zemura himself.
The defender made his first appearance back on Saturday since picking up a hamstring injury away at Sheffield United and, at one stage, may have feared his season was over.
Thankfully, scans revealed the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared and four games later he was back in the starting line-up and helping the Cherries to a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
Speaking with afcb.co.uk, he touched on his delight at returning to the squad and how he’s looking forward to playing his part in the crucial final two fixtures.
“I’m buzzing to be back,” Zemura said.
“This group of boys is amazing. I’ve watched them play and watched them work so hard the last four games when I haven’t been here.
“For me just to be back in the team meant everything. I wanted to give my all to the team and the team gave their all too, so Saturday was a beautiful day.
“We’ve been playing well recently and it showed again on the weekend how hard we’ve been working on the training ground. It’s come to fruition, so we’re onto Tuesday now. We need another performance like that.”
Zemura went on to discuss the influence of head coach, Scott Parker, who has trusted the left-back at every opportunity he’s been available for over the course of the season.
The 22-year-old admitted how the staff and squad are maintaining focus ahead of a big week, which sees the final two games of the season being played in front of the home fans at Vitality Stadium.
“When you have someone like the gaffer in the dressing room, a very cool, calm and collected character, it’s good.
“We’re happy with our performance and we’ll take the three points, but more importantly we’re ready for the next one. We’ll rest up, get ready and go again on Tuesday.
“It’ll be good to play in front of the Dean Court massive! It’ll be nice to see the fans and have them by our sides.
“It’s going to be important for us as we have two big games. They’re going to be our 12th man and we hopefully can get over the line and enjoy the moment.”
Asked whether Tuesday night was the biggest game of his career, having only broken into a first team setup this season, Zemura emphasised the importance of every match being crucial as he continues to develop and learn with the Cherries.
“Every game for me is the biggest game of my career because I haven’t played professional football for that long,” he continued.
“For me, every moment of this season has been amazing and, of course, Tuesday is a big game, but you can’t read into it too much. You’ve just got to work harder than your opponent and see what happens.
“I’m learning every single match. Saturday was my 31st game this season and every single one is different. Some are more difficult than others, but I’ve enjoyed every moment.
“I’m learning every single day, I’m still young and I’m looking forward to the challenges that are coming up.”
