Early on Monday, a report emerged that Achraf Lazaar regretted his move to Newcastle in 2016. Sport Witness wrote an article with some comments from the 28-year-old, who is currently on loan to Serie B’s Calcio Cosenza.
This is what the article said Lazaar told Italian journalist Nicolo Schira via Instagram:
“In the summer of 2016, Fiorentina wanted me, but my dream as a kid was to play in England. It was Rafa Benitez, who had arrived from Real Madrid.
“He really wanted me, and his pressing convinced me.
“There were great ambitions: there was talk of building a squad to win the Premier League in the space of a few years.
“It’s too bad he played me very little. In hindsight, Newcastle wasn’t the right choice, unfortunately”.
We don’t see too much controversy in the Moroccan’s statement. Other than the part about ‘great ambition’ and ‘winning the Premier League’, Lazaar’s statement seems a very accurate one considering his circumstances.
Though we have little doubt that Mike Ashley fed Rafa Benitez promises of grandeur to keep the Spaniard at the club after spelunking down a division.
Achraf Lazaar joined Newcastle in the summer of 2016 from Palermo when we were in the Championship. To date, he’s made only 10 appearances. So that is the textbook definition of him making the wrong choice, especially if a club like Fiorentina were interested in him.
However, Lazaar has spoken to the Chronicle to clear up some of the comments attributed to him in the original report.
This is what he had to say:
“I’ve seen suggestions of Newcastle being a bad choice. I don’t know where it came from. It’s fake news.
“People are always talking about me and suggesting I’m saying bad things about Newcastle.
“But I’ve never said that. I love Newcastle, and if I chose Newcastle over Fiorentina in 2016, then that says it all for me.
“Newcastle still means something to me. People can talk or make me look bad.
“People who know me will tell you it’s bull**** that I made the wrong choice.”
Lazaar has one year remaining on the five-year contract he signed when joining Newcastle in 2016. He may be worried that his comments, if he really said them, could put him in hot water with Newcastle.
However, he was just saying what most observers already knew. His move to Newcastle was catastrophic for him. It has cost him basically four years of his career.
Since joining Newcastle, Lazaar has made just 31 first-team appearances for either Newcastle or his three loan clubs. We definitely don’t begrudge him if he regrets coming to Newcastle.
89 comments so far
Dondatta13
Mar 24, 2020 at 12:27 AM
Comment #1Stay away and stay safe everyone!….
https://youtu.be/RZ2oXzrnti4
Mister Tuff
Mar 24, 2020 at 1:14 AM
Comment #2Saw the original Specials in the seventies. With their star man Eddy Grant.
His song Electric Avenue is still a favourite.
At that away to the pit.
Uncertain Toon/World
Mar 24, 2020 at 1:24 AM
Comment #3NY,
Looks like they’re trying to punt their home fitness tat, seen an opportunity, typical Arthur Daley style although he was a loveable rogue.
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 2:50 AM
Comment #4Tuff
Wasn’t Eddy Grant the front of The Equals?
https://youtu.be/5q3ALvb16EE
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 2:53 AM
Comment #5Tuff
Eddy Grant
https://youtu.be/vtPk5IUbdH0
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 2:59 AM
Comment #6NY Mag
I liked Arfur Daley’s line of water damaged umbrellas.
As you say, a likeable rogue unlike Ashley whose greed knows no bounds.
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 2:59 AM
Comment #7On that note, be safe.
Mister Tuff
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:24 AM
Comment #8lesh – woke up couldn’t sleep was going to correct my entry indeed it was the Equals that Eddy Grant was in. Posting when tired not recommended and leads to a duff post.
back to the pit
Unused Substitute
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:32 AM
Comment #9This will make real NUFC fans (e.g., jib, martoon, catchy; apologies if I missed out a few others) happy in these testing times:
https://talksport.com/football/684592/premier-league-report-cards-all-teams-this-season/
DubaiMicky
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:55 AM
Comment #10“Spelunking”, that must be American thing, never heard it before, or maybe an AmericaniSation of “Spunking” as in throwing it away?
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 4:44 AM
Comment #11Tuff
The things you do to draw attention to yourself – your Eddy Grant-Specials post led to this…
https://youtu.be/QTUp9U8OTGM
You out-Jibbed Jib with that little ruse.
Mister Tuff
Mar 24, 2020 at 5:52 AM
Comment #12lesh hahaha nice one.
hibbit
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:25 AM
Comment #13https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8144987/Mike-Ashleys-Sports-Direct-STAY-OPEN-bosses-say-key-workers-coronavirus-outbreak.html
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:48 AM
Comment #14NY Mag,
Yes quite, the hatred aside MA keeping those stores open for the staff’s jobs is a good thing. Why don’t McDonald’s, Costa, TKMax etc etc etc reopen as well. Hell, let’s get all the rigs up to full steam while we’re at it, might as well keep the pubs and restaurants open as a few jobs went there too. Give your head a shake man!
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:51 AM
Comment #15Unused Substitute,
Are you suggesting that there aren’t real toon fans using this site!
hibbit
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:13 AM
Comment #16see BobbyBee has been posting again from his bed in st nicks,
Unused Substitute
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:14 AM
Comment #17Jail @ 15:
😀
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:16 AM
Comment #18hibbit,
I normally skip the night shift so missed it, what thread is it on, the wi fi is white on here so would help if I could go straight to it, morbid fascination make them an interesting read, I’ll give him that.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:18 AM
Comment #19Unused Sub,
You are aware that catchy used to preach his desire for us to be relegated and cheer defeats because of his dislike for Pardew.
Jib
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:21 AM
Comment #20Chi Onwurah thinks the e-mail from Sports Direct to their staff
is a spoof – I think I agree with her.
hibbit
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:23 AM
Comment #21jail its here post 44
https://www.nufcblog.com/2020/03/23/no-alternative-pfa-executive-says-players-are-realistic-about-finishing-season/
hibbit
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:27 AM
Comment #22Jib
if it is a spoof how on earth have these people got there hands all the SD staffs Email addresses ??
Ron Knee
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:30 AM
Comment #23Lewis Goodall@lewis_goodall
I’m hearing about A LOT of companies branding themselves “essential” and telling staff to come to work tomorrow, as normal.
Don’t think that is within the spirit of what the government announced tonight…
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:32 AM
Comment #24hibbit, I found it, he must have posted it after the bus had moved.
My boss is obviously part of this satanic cult as he sent us this e mail this morning.
“I have a surgeon friend who has 12 people under 60 – on ventilators with COVID-19 in his ward – with a current 40% survival rate and they are now making decisions on which over-70s to put on them and who not to. This is real, and critical”
He must have slipped out of his robes when I went down for the interview.
Transfer Sage
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:34 AM
Comment #25Jib
I think Chi wasn’t saying it was a spoof, more that she can’t believe it wouldn’t be, showing her disbelief at Sports Direct. But it is open to interpretation.
Given a few other retailers have done the same (including WHSmiths), I believe it’s true.
Mike Ashley has shown he has utter contempt for his staff and sees them as totally expendable given his standard practices, so I can imagine he’d put profits ahead of safety in this situation.
With a bit of luck, this will let everyone wake up to what he does and more and more will boycott his store in the future.
This pandemic has shown some employers up for the disgusting people that they are… Ashley is one of them.
Unused Substitute
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:34 AM
Comment #26Jail @ 19: I’ll take a relegation myself if that gets rid of Ashley. Does that then make me a real fan as well?
:’)
Ron Knee
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:35 AM
Comment #27Kevin Maguire@Kevin_Maguire
Michael Gove on @GMB says Sports Direct should shut shops. Mike Ashley illustrating why he’s one of Britain’s very worst bosses, forcing frightened employees into work
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:35 AM
Comment #28I wonder if Bobbybee, with his health problems will refuse a hospital bed if he does fall ill from corona.
Ron Knee
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:46 AM
Comment #29Andrew Lawrence@ndrew_lawrence
Texas Lt Governor Dan Patrick says grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:51 AM
Comment #30Unused Substitute,
I don’t really want to get in to a debate like that but just found it strange that you used catchy and Jibs names next to martoon’s. Jib lives in the area and watches his games on TV, catchy lives a short hop across the North Sea and doesn’t even come home once a year to see a game. Really not sure how you can lump them in with season ticket holder martoon.
Anglo Saxon
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:54 AM
Comment #31Sports direct now saying they will not now open their workshops, so original email was right.
Anglo Saxon
Mar 24, 2020 at 7:59 AM
Comment #32hibbit as usual jib with his low IQ got it wrong doesn’t understand the technology of email.
Unused Substitute
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:06 AM
Comment #33Jail @ 30: APOLOGIES. I tool Martoon’s name instead of munster’s. To make amends for my sin I’m off to a self imposed social distancing.
Jib
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:07 AM
Comment #34It was one e-mail shown to the Press Association
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:08 AM
Comment #35Collected my tools this morning, main contractor has told his workers “they’re essential workers”.
Few of the smaller sub contractors, half a dozen at most at work.
Mcalpine have apparently pulled the plug but sites are still open.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:10 AM
Comment #36Unused Substitute,
Ahh, I get it. No apology needed or social distancing from people you live with necessary. I’d happily do a Leeds and start from scratch to get rid of that leech. In fact, had we done a Leeds we’d have been a far more attractive proposal for a buyer and done a Leicester after doing a Leeds, or dare I say even a Man City. If only SJH had held on another year.
Tramp
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:13 AM
Comment #37Sports Direct won’t stay open. This is just another PR stunt created by Justin Barnes. Suddenly all the media are talking about ShiteDirect… Very similar to a NUFC related PR event that seems to occur every year… Hmmm…
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:13 AM
Comment #38Two massive turning points against us in the PL era. SBR not coming straight after KK and SJH selling up a year early. A deal with the Mansours would have been ready made. Oh well, such is.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:14 AM
Comment #39Tramp,
Yes, and being reviled for it.
Tramp
Mar 24, 2020 at 8:14 AM
Comment #40There’s no such thing as bad publicity.