The suggestion that there is now no way back for Isak owes much to the chants that cascaded down from the away end at Villa Park in the wake of the final whistle. Admittedly, ‘One greedy b******’ is hardly an outpouring of unbridled affection.
Football fans are fickle, though. And while Newcastle’s tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves, they are not really an exception. Yes, Isak is currently public enemy number one. Yes, given everything that’s happened in the last month or so, it’s hard to imagine the Swedish striker ever being held in the same kind of esteem as an Alan Shearer or even a Dan Burn.
But does that mean things cannot change? Not necessarily. A carefully-choreographed apology, followed by a public plea for forgiveness from Eddie Howe and a couple of senior players, and if Isak bangs in a couple of goals in his first game back, and perhaps then follows up with a Champions League winner against a Barcelona or a PSG, it’s not hard to imagine him being serenaded with ABBA rather than expletives once again. Flawed heroes are still heroes to at least some degree.
Howe would welcome Isak back, if not exactly with open arms, then almost certainly with a huge sigh of relief. There have been times this summer when the Newcastle boss’ refusal to outrightly condemn Isak’s behaviour has made him appear weak, but his stance has been carefully calibrated to ensure any breakdown in the pair’s relationship is not irreparable.
For all that he might have wanted to, Howe has not thrown Isak under the bus. He’d have to reassert some authority if Isak was restored to the squad, and establish some new red lines that could not be broken in the future, but ultimately, the Magpies boss is both a realist and a pragmatist. Is Newcastle’s team stronger with Isak in it? Unquestionably. So, there’s no point cutting off your nose to spite your face.
READ MORE:
What about Isak’s team-mates? They’ll surely have been frustrated, even angry, at the Swede’s decision to down tools. Anthony Gordon wouldn’t have wanted to start the season as Newcastle’s central striker. Anthony Elanga wouldn’t have wanted to leave Nottingham Forest to join a club threatening to come apart at the seams.
Footballers know how football works, though. They’ll be annoyed at Isak, but will almost certainly understand the motivation for his actions. A footballer’s career is short and unpredictable. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself, even if there are better ways of going about it than the route Isak has chosen. Well-placed sources suggest that the dressing room is split over Isak’s conduct, but also claim that would not be a barrier to his return to the group. Players come and go on a regular basis at a football club. Isak was gone, then he was back. It wouldn’t be an insurmountable issue.
The greatest barrier to a successful reintegration could well come from Isak himself. The 25-year-old could hardly have done more to completely ostracise himself from all things Newcastle. In his mind, he has already checked out, figuratively, in terms of refusing to play or train, and literally, when it comes to leaving the house he had been living in in the North-East.
He has reportedly told those close to him there is no chance of him ever playing for Newcastle again. That’s fine, other than the fact that he’s contracted to Newcastle for the next three years, the Magpies’ Saudi owners have consistently said they don’t want to sell him and Liverpool, his club of choice, are clearly reluctant to pay £150m and already have a new striking superstar in the shape of Hugo Ekitike.
Amid that backdrop, it’s not exactly hard to envisage a scenario where Isak remains on Newcastle’s books beyond the end of the transfer window. So, what happens then? Is Isak really going to remain on indefinite strike, clocking up a series of huge club fines, stagnating his career through intransigence and almost certainly jeopardising his place in the Sweden team for next summer’s World Cup? That would be quite some call.
Much more likely, surely, is that he swallows his pride, albeit reluctantly, and accepts that he has completely misjudged the way the summer has played out. Apologise profusely. Hide behind Howe, who would surely back him. Perhaps even negotiate a new deal, this time containing a release clause that would leave everyone knowing where they stand. It would still be a mess, but it would be a damn sight better than the current state of things.
