Is Jed Steer the last of Villa’s fun and games with Norwich City?
You get the feeling that at Carrow Road when the phone rings and the 0121 code appears on the phone’s display screen, they don’t pick up.
First Aston Villa took the manager who had marched Norwich back into the English top tier. What made it more unsavory for the Canaries was the fact that the Villa supporters present on the last day of the season at Carrow Road in 2011/12, actually sang to their counterparts it was going to happen. It was a bit like a baseball player looking at the pitcher and pointing to where he was going to hit his home run. A bitter fight ensued, between Paul Lambert and David McNally, the Norwich chief executive, and chairman, Alan Bowkett. It saw Lambert resign and sue for constructive dismissal – and the bitter compensation wrangle, as we know, eventually went to tribunal.
A year later, Lambert set up tribunal rematch between Villa and Norwich, after swooping for young Norwich keeper Jed Steer. Again, Norwich weren’t happy and the fee went to tribunal over half-a-year later, which was finally resolved this week (more of that in a second).
It’s against this backdrop that Lambert came knocking for Norwich’s Irish midfielder Wes Hoolahan. Norwich stonewalled, Lambert played coy. With any other club, it would have probably been a straight-forward deal, already pushed through. Then just to really take the mickey out of his former club, Lambert signed on loan ex-Norwich captain and talismanic Canary hero, striker Grant Holt. Some Villa fans have questioned Holt’s signing, but as a Norwich wind-up, it was a masterstroke!
Whether it’s the straw that breaks the camel ‘s back in terms of the Hoolahan deal, watch this space. The fact that Villa have won every time they’ve been back to play at Carrow Road, since Lambert left, also probably doesn’t help relations. In the end, money tends to talk though, although Lambert has stated he has alternate midfield options lined-up.
You the get the picture. Norwich aren’t too happy with us.
Today though, they seemed a little happier due to the result of the tribunal result over the fee of Jed Steer.
Initially, when MOMS was informed ahead of the press that Steer was heading our way, the word on the street was that Villa had been looking to pay around £250,000 odd, but Norwich got almost double that as a first installment, with add -ons that could potentially take the total figure to £1.175m mark depending on appearances.
The Steer Payment Breakdown
Up front: £450,000
Appearance add-ons: £500,000
International bonus: £225,000, if Steer makes England U21 & senior appearances.
Norwich will also get a 20% of any fee that Villa sell him on for.
When you think about how cheaply Arsenal got Daniel Crowley from Villa last year, it’s a decent deal for Norwich. Although, if Steer doesn’t make the big time and is eventually released on a free transfer, it’s an ok price for a back-up keeper for Villa in the short-term.
To be honest though, hopefully Lambert’s had his fun, and it’s the last time we need any ex-Norwich players! UTV
Update: Oh hang on… Ryan Bertrand is in on loan…he’s actually played more times for Norwich than his mother club Chelsea. Bertrand was at Carrow Road for 18 months in 2008-2009 before Lambert took over as their manager.
Its like Lambert has NCFC vouchers!
haha
Well I guess when our Jed get pretty close to the number of games which triggers the an add on clause that will be the last we see of him as he gets his membership to the “Bomb Squad”
So, how long is that 20% sell on commission in play? Is it still in effect if he becomes our #1 in 5 years, plays with us for ten years, then gets sold at age 36? If so, that just seems silly.