Eddie Howe with Alexander Isak
(Image: PA)
Players come and go - that’s the nature of football. There will always be a club more attractive than yours, whether that’s down to success, finances or an emotional pull. Rarely is a player guaranteed to stay forever.
More often than not, that desire from a player to move is accepted by football fans - it may not be liked but it will be reluctantly understood.
As Alexander Isak’s attempts to force an exit from Newcastle United rumble on into yet another week, I’m yet to find a Toon supporter who begrudges him that move to Liverpool that he so badly wants. The majority of United fans can see why he’d want to go; more money and a better chance of winning major honours.
The majority have no issue with that - it’s the way Isak and his agent have gone about it which stings. It has lacked professionalism and respect that Newcastle as a club deserve.
Many fans would have thanked Isak for helping to win the Carabao Cup, and to get the club back into The Champions League - ironically, there’s no doubt that he would have been waved off in a respectful way that he seems incapable of showing.
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Isak’s statement on Tuesday night was one final act of desperation to push through his exit but all it resulted in doing was to strengthen United’s resolve, and sour the relations from the dugout to the terraces possibly beyond repair.
That is perhaps emphasised as Supporters group, Wor Flags broke cover shortly after Isak’s statement.
The group only last season put on a fantastic display honouring Isak at St James’ Park as West Ham visited.
In Tuesday they posted on X: "Idolised and adored. No promises broken by the fans that make this club.
‘We deserve better than the destructive path you've chosen. Newcastle United will never be defeated."
Sources say it was one of the ‘toughest’ decisions they’ve had to make - how to strike the feeling within the fan base but in a respectful way.
That mirrors what most fans are feeling. How can a relationship go bad so quickly? From the highs of Wembley to Isak’s photograph being removed from the club store.
This whole situation is a mess - one that is harming Newcastle on the pitch, and becoming a huge distraction off it.
Isak has made claims of broken promises and of a lack of trust between him and the club, and for the first time publicly declaring his desire to leave.
But the truth of the matter is Newcastle do not wish to sell, Isak has three years left on his deal, despite their best efforts there’s been no available replacement, and no bid worthy of his value.
If Isak thought an Instagram post would change that, he was sadly mistaken.
It was a statement that caught the club off guard and took the saga to a whole new level.
It was a poor attempt to force Newcastle into a corner and see the owners u-turn on their stance that the striker is not for sale. It was a gamble which has back fired.
The club responded in a diplomatic way, straight out of the Eddie Howe playbook. Firm yet not insulting, and certainly not in a manner that shuts the door on Isak after returning to the squad.
One can’t help but speculate that Isak’s statement was done with the intention of provocation. A statement of accusations delivered with hope that Newcastle would respond in way in which that the road back was once and for all blocked off.
United were calm and measured - in many ways taking the morale high ground and certainly not rising to the bait. Firm, assured and clinical - knowing that going nuclear now is a gamble considering the most likely outcome of this sorry tale is that Isak remains on Tyneside post September 1st. Whether he can be reintegrated in time and trusted to offer 100% to the badge remains to be seen.
Yet in many ways, this is bigger than Isak. This is about Newcastle showing they are no soft touch both to star players and to those bigger teams who can attract your top players.
United need to show that they are not pushovers, and cannot be walked over either by want-away players or buying clubs.
They need to show the footballing world that they will not be bullied. It’s also a nod to others at Newcastle and indeed future arrivals. A message that no one is expected to be here forever and a desire to move is only natural in what are short careers of footballers, something the club and Howe understand and respect but should you want to leave there is a way to behave and following the path of Isak is not it.
Kicking up a fuss, won’t be tolerated. Disrespecting a club which gave you a step up to highest stage, is not acceptable, and more than anything, respect is a two way street.
The reality of the situation is, had Isak handled this professionally then he would most likely be Liverpool player now and with his Newcastle legendary status intact.
His behaviour is quite rightly being used as an example - and so it should be. People will rightly point out that Isak's value is likely to decrease, and should Newcastle have to sell him either in January or 12 months time they may have to accept a fee less than the £110 million offered by Liverpool - but that is something Newcastle are happy with.
While this saga has been born out of Isak's desire to leave, it is not really about him but instead about showing that strength to the footballing world.