Late on Sunday night saw new quotes from Head Coach Eddie Howe on the Alexander Isak transfer saga.
Coming via Craig Hope, Howe put out an iron-willed message directed squarely at the wantaway Swede, the fanbase, and the squad, delivering what might be one of his best/most stirring quotes from his time in charge.
Howe said: “_Y__ou have to earn the right to train with us. We are Newcastle United._
_“The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad – you have to act in the right way. So that is also at play here._
_“We will make sure that any player does that to earn the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.”_
HUGE, clear messaging coming from Howe, and whilst I wish there was someone above Howe who could’ve taken the lead on this messaging, he has marked Isak’s card, letting him know his behaviour is not acceptable and there will be repercussions.
Eddie Howe has always been a good talker, and because he very rarely says much of anything in press conferences/gives much away, when he does speak, you listen and hear the message loud and clear, much like the post Paul Mitchell appointment press interviews last summer.
Howe’s strong in saying no one is bigger or above United, not even our star striker and probably best player. Howe won’t have the group impacted, given how hard he/they have worked on the strong work ethic and togetherness over the last three and a half seasons.
United’s ‘no d\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* policy’ is still clearly in operation, so he won’t tolerate any in the camp. Ryan Fraser is the only other player to act in the same way and receive similar treatment, and he isn’t one-hundredth of the player Isak is – showing Howe’s consistency in discipline.
Howe values training so highly – he always says that is the body of the squad’s work and plays a huge part in building up to our performance at the weekend. So, he won’t have someone come into the group that is not fit or in the right place to do so.
Howe has said his piece. It’s strong and sends the right message to the squad and the fanbase. Now we will have to wait and see how Isak responds. What is clear is that I wouldn’t have anyone else in charge of Newcastle United right now because the gaffer is right:
We are Newcastle United