Eddie Howe answers the tough Alexander Isak questions | OneFootball

Alexander Isak questions posed to Eddie Howe.

It was always going to be the case.

Eddie Howe left to answer the tough Alexander Isak questions after the statements during the week.

As well as training and managing the players/team, the NUFC Head Coach is the only one currently who speaks on behalf of the club. Indeed, with very rare exceptions, this has always been the case, the club piling all the responsibility on Eddie Howe.

He was once again magnificent, Eddie Howe dealing superbly with everything thrown at him on Friday by the media, ahead of Liverpool on Monday night.

Such a fine line to tread, the United boss looking after and respecting the rest of his players, whilst at the same time keeping that door still open for the Sweden international and a potential (very likely) return to NUFC training and matchday squads.

Eddie Howe asked how he felt about the inflammatory Alexander Isak statement on social media, which then saw the club compelled to publicly reply to it:

“Disappointment, in respect of these things being made public.

“All of these things should ideally be face to face, club and player.

“It’s (public statements) great for you guys (journalists) but it doesn’t reflect well on us or Alex.

“It is a sad moment, trying to deal with it all.

“The situation is regrettable.

“From the club’s perspective they thought they had to act and reply.

“A case of needs must.

“The club has spoken and justifiably so.”

When Newcastle United made their public statement in response to Alexander Isak’s, they made a few things clear.

The club stating that nobody at the club had promised Alexander Isak he could leave this summer. However, they also said that they had taken into consideration Isak’s wishes and looked at whether a sale could be possible, but this proving impossible. Which is basically due to being unable to bring in a credible replacement (as well as one needed for Callum Wilson as well), plus of course on top of that as well, no credible bid made by any club, only the derisory £110m offer from Liverpool:

‘Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.

‘We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views.

As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired.

We do not foresee those conditions being met.’

Eddie Howe accepting there has been no potential great win scenario for Newcastle United with this Alexander Isak situation:

“I think that it is a lose/lose situation to a degree for us.

“I don’t think we can come out of this winning in any situation.

“That’s why I have said all summer it is such a difficult situation for the club to manage.”

Eddie Howe also asked if Alexander Isak told him before the end of last season that he wanted to leave this summer:

“Alex and I had conversations towards the end of the season.

“I am not going to sit here and deny that.

“I have always said that individual conversations are better off remaining private.

“But we did have conversations at the end of the season.”

Just because a player says he would like to leave, doesn’t then mean the club has to automatically sell him. As was made clear in the club statement, an Isak sale might have been possible this summer but no suitable replacement able to be brought in and no credible bid made for Isak. Whilst Alexander Isak may well have said to Eddie Howe that he wanted to leave, quite clearly Eddie Howe didn’t promise that a sale would definitely happen (nor anybody else at the club promising this).

Eddie Howe asked if Alexander Isak could play for Newcastle United again and whether the other players would welcome him back:

“If Alex is to play for Newcastle United again then he has to be totally committed.

“If you are going to select a team to play, the players have to be committed to give their best performance.

“All the other stuff around it? Things can change.

“I have had this so many times in my career.

“A player may not be in a great place one day, then a few days later they are there and ready to play.

“That is the beauty of human beings, we can all change our emotions and feelings quite quickly.