Warriors coach hails Zemura’s Udinese form, outlines AFCON ambitions

By Agencies

Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees (57) has praised Jordan Zemura’s (25) impressive performances for Udinese this season.

The former Bournemouth left-back has been a key player for the Serie A side as they push for European qualification next season.

For context, the Warriors’ star has featured in 21 matches across all competitions for Kosta Runjaic’s Little Zebras, scoring once against Lecce.

The German tactician is happy with Zemura’s display so far for the Italian top-flight outfit, while hoping he continues in that form ahead of next month’s international action.

“I think we’re very happy with his development,” coach Nees told Flashscore.com.

“At Udinese, he has attracted some clubs because of his performance, but I think he’s in good hands there.

“And in the national team, he has also performed very well.  We have other players who are performing very well.

“But if you ask me, we are very happy with his development and we hope this continues especially with focus on March’s international football fixtures.”

Following the expiration of Zemura’s contract at Bournemouth, he penned a four-year deal with Udinese on a free transfer.

Despite interest from clubs across Europe and beyond, Zimbabwe‘s head coach suggests the Bluenergy Stadium is the perfect place for him to flourish.

He continued: “I want him to be happy where he plays and to perform good.

“For me as a national coach, I’m happy if he’s regularly playing in his club.”

AFCON ambitions

Nees was appointed Zimbabwe’s head coach in July 2024, replacing indigenous manager Jairos Tapera.

The 57-year-old is no stranger to African football, having previously managed Seychelles and Rwanda, and also serving as South Africa’s technical advisor.

Confident in his credentials, the German coach is eager to guide Zimbabwe to a strong performance at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where they will face Egypt, South Africa, and Angola in Group B.

He added: “I’ve worked in a few more countries like that, and it’s different in various positions. I think I have a versatile background.

“Football is not only decided with training on the pitch, it’s decided by many things, especially as a national coach, and I think I can bring a very versatile experience. That I can confidently say.

“I’ve worked in many different positions. I was in various tournaments in different positions, so I know the different points which can affect performance.

“But let me be honest, I think this AFCON will be very well organized and definitely fair.

“We have about 11 months to prepare and we will plan accordingly, and we will try our best. Let’s see what comes out.

“Again, I believe in our team, in our players first, but we will respect our opponent.”

On the country’s readiness for Morocco 2025, he said: “We’re still in the process. I came six months ago, and we’re still developing.

“We have a lot of potential to improve, but I think we’ve performed quite well so far. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have qualified, so we can be satisfied with our progress.

“Let’s see. The AFCON is months away, which is a long time. First, the preparation is divided into organizational and sporting aspects.

“From an organizational standpoint, this is a huge advantage. Everything is already well-prepared, with team-based camps and hotels arranged, so in a way, there’s not much we can influence in that regard.”

The Warriors were disqualified from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire due to a FIFA suspension. However, they have qualified for the finals five times, although they have yet to progress beyond the group stage.