Alan Shearer Exclusive: Isak got his move but going on strike is not a good look for a player | OneFootball

Isak got what he wanted but it's not a good look

I thought Eddie Howe handled the situation with Alexander Isak really well. It was a really impossible situation for Eddie and for the players. I didn't like how it got in the end. I don't think it's ever right that a player should go on strike and refuse to play for a club whilst you're being paid and have a contract.

I understand it from the other way around, when a club wants to get rid of you they do, but they're still paying your wages. When you sign a contract, you're obliged to fulfil it.

Isak is a good player, going to a great football club who will no doubt challenge for all the big trophies. But, as I said, I don't like how it happened. He'll have his reasons, I'm sure.

We can thank him for what he did at Newcastle, but it's been a messy situation all summer. I don't think it's done anyone any good, it's been a really bad look for football and for the fans because they're the paying public, the ones that make this great game of ours.

It's not a good look at all when you're being paid by a club and refuse to play. Ultimately, he got his move to Liverpool, that's what he wanted.

It's happened before and will happen again, but it feels more prevalent this summer - Strand Larsen didn't play for Wolves, Wissa didn't play for Brentford - and of course Isak didn't play for Newcastle.

Mark Guehi, on the other hand, did everything right for Crystal Palace and suffered because he didn't get his move to Liverpool as Palace couldn't get a replacement.

He was the ultimate professional but didn't get his move, and that doesn't seem right. I'm sure he'll get that move at the end of the season on a free transfer and benefit financially, but still.

Time for clubs to concentrate on football

I guess for both clubs it's a relief that it has been sorted out, particularly Newcastle and Brentford, and for the players especially. Their managers have had to constantly talk every single day about certain players rather than the team, which isn't helpful.

So it needed to be sorted out one way or the other, and it has been. So it's time to move on, get your head down and concentrate on football, which is what everyone always wants anyway.

I'm not a fan of the transfer window going past the season starting. I guess maybe one of the reasons it does is to align with the rest of Europe or world football because of their leagues as well. But it's only a hindrance for players, clubs, and fans really that the window has gone past the start of the season. I'm not a fan of that.

Liverpool will be difficult to catch after spending a fortune

Liverpool have had an incredible window; spent an absolute fortune. I guess that's because they didn't spend any money last summer.

For a team that walked the Premier League last season, won it at a canter, to then go out and spend what they have is incredible. It just goes to show, with what they've spent, what City have spent, Arsenal have spent and Chelsea have spent, how difficult it is.

Newcastle have spent a fair bit as well; they had to. They were put in an impossible situation, so they had to spend the Isak money. But it makes it very difficult for the chasing pack.

I don't think anyone will catch Liverpool this season. So many people have said they'll win the league. They've made another statement in terms of who they've signed, and they've played three games and not played well yet, but won all three. That's a worrying sign for everyone.

They had a really difficult summer because of the loss of a teammate, so it will take them time to get back to really top form, and I get that, but for them to have not played well yet and still won three is a really positive sign for them.

Marc Guehi is the one that got away for Liverpool

Liverpool needed another central defender. The one small weakness they've had in the early part of the season (I know they kept a clean sheet at the weekend) is that they haven't looked as tight at the back and have looked really open, certainly in their first two league games.

If they get an injury to Van Dijk or to Konaté then, I wouldn't say they'll struggle, but they might be a little bit light in that position.

It's been a long hard transfer window for Newcastle

Newcastle had to go out and spend the money. Ultimately, they have had a good window, but I don't like how Wissa forced his move. I can't say that about Isak and not mention it with Yoane Wissa because of what's happened and his situation at Brentford.

Again, I don't know the ins and outs of any agreements or what didn't happen with Brentford, but footballing-wise, yeah, Newcastle have got a good forward, they really have.

He's taken the number nine shirt, had a really good season for Brentford last season, and in Woltemade they've got a young, exciting prospect, and I think that's what he is. It's a lot of money for someone who's really only had seven or eight months of top-level football, and it's a bit of a gamble at that price, but they had to pay it and they had to bring money in.

There was always going to be a "Newcastle tax" because of the money they got for Isak. But they had to bring two forwards in and they've certainly done that.

At the end of a very long, tiring transfer window, I think Newcastle can be pleased with what's happened.

I hope new strikers score a s**tload of goals for Newcastle

Coming from Brentford it will be a step up in everything for Wissa, the atmosphere, the pressure, the expectations, the size of the club, the stadium, everything.

Brentford are an amazing club and have established themselves in the Premier League now, but you're stepping up a level. There are going to be more eyes on you, more pressure on you, and of course you've got the number nine shirt at Newcastle, which is iconic.

Some players embrace that, some find it a really big shirt. For me and for the rest of the Newcastle fans, I hope he goes out and scores a lot of goals, same for Woltemade.

I would like to see them score a s**tload lot of goals. That's what they've been brought in for because the one thing Newcastle have been lacking, understandably so, is goals. I know Gordon was suspended, but they were pretty blunt. They got a couple against Liverpool but in the other two league games, against Villa and Leeds, you could tell that was what they were missing.

Those two guys have been brought in to now score goals, and Newcastle will be a better team for it.

It's been a long, hard window for Newcastle with what they've had to put up with, but in terms of who they've brought in, they can now get back to having a great team spirit, knowing they have players that want to be there.

They don't have to talk about the Isak situation anymore, they can get their heads down and train. So it's been a good window in the end, but it's been a hard one, no doubt about that.