Michael O'Neill says that Northern Ireland will ensure that Newcastle United left-back Jamal Lewis is undergoing a careful game plan during the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Lewis had a good game for Northern Ireland during their 2-0 win over San Marino and provided an assist for Bolton's Dion Charles to score the game-sealing goal in Group H to get their Euros campaign off to a positive start. Lewis was withdrawn before the end of the game in San Marino but was simply being managed prudently by O'Neill.
O'Neill said that Lewis was part of a group of his internationals that have not played much football, with just one appearance for Newcastle this year so far in the FA Cup against Sheff Wed and that he was always thinking ahead to Sunday's clash with Finland once the group points were in the bag.
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O'Neill said: "Jamal is in that category, when you get to 65 minutes you are looking to that next game."
Lewis will return to Newcastle for the last 12 game of the season and faces a tough fight to win his place at left-back with Dan Burn the regular choice of Eddie Howe and Matt Targett now also fully fit. O'Neill hinted that for players coming back from injuries, the change of scene with Northern Ireland is a positive one.
The former Newcastle striker said: "I think it's good for the medical teams to see where players are. They get their hands on them.
"I think it is a bit of a change for the players when you've had injuries. Their clubs are brilliant but you just need a change of scenery and they have had that over the last couple of days."
Lewis has struggled for game-time this season but Howe did not want to loan the defender out in January due to Targett's problems. The former Norwich man is expected to be called up again by Northern Ireland for a training camp and June fixtures away to Denmark on June 16 and at home to Kazakhstan three days later.
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