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Norwich fans comments on Jamal Lewis moving to Newcastle United – Very interesting

4 years ago
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Norwich fans have been reacting to news that Jamal Lewis is set to join Newcastle United.

Saturday brought news that Newcastle have made an offer of between £13.5m and £15m up front (depending on which report you read), with more money to be paid depending on hitting targets.

It is widely reported that Norwich are expected to accept the offer and indeed some reports claim that the Canaries have already agreed a deal.

Newcastle are desperate to add quality in the left-back position and Norwich appear to have already planned for Jamal Lewis to leave, with other options now in that position.

Very interesting to read the comments by Norwich fans below.

A very varied debate in terms of the ability of the player, along with an equally varied debate on the merits of Newcastle United…

Norwich fans commenting via their Pink Un message board:

‘£14.75m + add ons + sell on clause (Source: Athletic via Michael Bailey) I think is ultimately decent business.

Anything over £15m, which in essence this is, is good money for a full-back who in my opinion is a mid/lower Prem Table regular starter. He’s too good to be playing in the Championship but not good enough to play for a Top 10 side regularly.’

‘A bit disappointed with the fee if true, especially after forest managed to get so much for Matty Cash – an older full back with no prem experience.

Perhaps it says more about the reputations of Villa and Newcastle than it does anything else. Cash splashers vs penny pinchers. Shame Villa didn’t come in for Lewis – surely we could’ve bumped up to 17-18m or more.’

‘Keep seeing people saying this and it’s embarrassing really.

Matty Cash is a far superior player to Jamal Lewis. He can use both feet, he can score goals, he can cross the ball (with both feet), he has been a revelation since being converted into a full back, and Forest knocked back a £6m offer from Chelsea for him 3 years ago, he hasn’t just come out of nowhere.

We’ll do well to match that fee, is good business.

Norwich fans massively over rating some of our players, Jamal Lewis in particular. Liverpool never wanted him, they just used him to pressure the Greeks into accepting their offer for a better player.

Lewis looked average at best in the Premier League, out of his depth at worst, £14m good business.

Max Aarons a far superior player and we should riot if his fee is below £25m, maybe even £30m.

And Cash is a whopping 5 months older, so is age even worth mentioning?’

‘I completely agree far to many weak points to his game for him to be worth anymore, I really hope max stays I’d be gutted if he went.’

‘Seeing as he’s been already replaced I’m quite happy for this to happen. Good move for him i reckon as well’

‘He clearly want’s a move since Liverpool deliberetly tried to unnerve him to force a move.

Either way if those bonuses increase the price to 20 million than sure, let him go.

Not that I think Newcastle is the best club for him mind.’

‘Nowt to do with Liverpools bid I don’t think. Hes wanted out since Jan I reckon hence why we got Mccalum in for a pretty big fee.’

‘OK guys don’t panic.

Mike Ashley has issued a clarification, he’s bid £13.5M for JOHN Lewis.’

‘Decent player, hope it goes better for him than Jacobs move. Tough place to go though… Fee seems reasonable. One more (preferably Cantwell) and all in all a decent transfer window.’

‘£14m plus add ons is a great bit of business for Lewis, plus we have plenty of cover for left back.’

‘I would assume one of the bonuses would probably be a “dont get them relegated” clause, so if Newcastle stay up wonder how much extra we might get paid?’

‘Really poor move for the player in my opinion.

A club where the supporters and owners are at each other’s throats, a manager that is a dinosaur in the game who is highly unlikely to be able to progress his game as well as Farke has done for his career progression here.

Good luck to him but I think it’s the wrong club and wrong move and he’s setting himself up to be the next Jacob Murphy.’

‘I respectfully disagree. Newcastle fans are knowledgable and good natured, by comparison. Liverpool was a bridge too far, but I think it is a good move in him in the longer term if he does well.

The advantages for him will be:

• He will be at a club that is in the EPL.

• He will be at a club that wants to stay in the EPL.

• He will be at a club where all the fans want the club to stay in the EPL.

• He will be at a club that has Successful player and manager with long EPL experience

• Potential to move to bigger club later, if successful

• The above is financially advantageous to Newcastle and Himself (Plus NCFC)

Mike Ashley is hardly a fan favourite to put it mildly, but give me him over Delia any day of the week.

Lewis will do well, I’m sure of it.’

‘I think you’ve got to be a bit disappointed there if you’re Jamal. It doesnt sound like the club have got a massively different deal here to what might have been negotiated with Liverpool. But now he finds himself on his way to Newcastle.

That said, his prospects of first team football are probably much higher at Newcastle.’

‘Great deal for us if the money rumours are true. Loads of performance related add-ons and a sell on. Not sure if it’s a great move for Jamal though. This has Murphy 2 written all over it.

He would have surely been better off at a club like Leicester / Burnley / Southampton.’

‘I don’t think I can agree with that last sentence. This would be a pretty good move from a playing perspective assuming his performances hold up. He should get a good crack at the first team, and Newcastle tend to be more defensive so whilst he may be encouraged to bomb on a bit, I suspect Bruce will want to fine-tune his defending.

Would he get in at Burnley? We’ve just got one of their reserve centre-halves after all.’

‘FairPlay to him, he goes with my blessing, we have been compensated

but imagine thinking you are going to Liverpool then you end up at Newcastle. Yikes.’

‘Or imagine doubling/trebling your wages and playing in the Premiership.’

‘Yeah we shouldn’t kid ourselves. Newcastle is a good forward step for Jamal.’

‘Disagree. They are relegation fodder. They were a poor side last season but somehow managed to spawn enough results to finish mid table, with their keeper keeping them in most games. That won’t happen two seasons in a row.

I’d hold out for Palace or someone better if I was Jamal.’

‘I hear what you are saying re: Newcastle, but hopefully they will get taken over with investment to boot. It is a big step up which ever way you look at it.’

‘If I was a footballer I would want nothing to do with Steve Bruce or Mike Ashley.

Then again I’m not a footballer so my opinion counts for naught.’

‘I’m not a Newcastle fan – though they are the best team I’ve seen us play against (in ’93/’94).

I’m not one of those fans that want bad of people who leave. It would be cruel to keep him here. Good business all round.’

‘I honestly think this deal if it happens is the classic over everyone is a winner.

Norwich get a very good fee for an academy product a fee that will pay for all of our 11 signings and a bit left over.

If he flops then it is very good money indeed.

If he does well we get more cash and a slice of the profit if he moves to bigger and better.

Lewis cannot lose he will be financially secure for the rest of his life, he is playing in the shop window of the best league in the world and he knows that the club that nurtured him have done very well out of the deal.

Add to that Newcastle are a lower mid table side and in all probability he will not be in the pressure cooker of a relegation battle Newcastle buy a good left back and they need one, he is at an age where hopefully he will get better and better.

My best wishes to all parties in this and Norwich create a space for two players to show their worth and hopefully at least one of them to take there chance.’

‘I’m surprised Newcastle are prepared to buy anyone else from us after we stitched them up for Jacob Murphy, but we should keep banking their money.

I agree that Lewis is a bit overrated and he hasn’t progressed quite as much as he perhaps should have done.

Maybe he will at Newcastle but I’m sceptical – I think it’s a toxic club with even more toxic fans and if he doesn’t start well he may go backwards like Jacob.

I don’t rate Bruce as a coach, and he may have to unlearn much of what has made his game so impressive under Farke.’

‘Under the improvement Newcastle made with Bruce, I really see this as a good move for Lewis, will no doubt get game time and in a half decent team. I’ll definitely be looking out for Newcastle results next year, much bette than a manure or Liverpool.’

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