9 hours ago
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Newcastle supporters will forgive but not forget Alexander Isak's summer protest.
The Swedish forward has refused to play in objection to the breakdown of his proposed transfer to Liverpool, Newcastle's Premier League rivals, on Monday evening. However, Toon legend Warren Barton believes that boss Eddie Howe must remain resolute – and either retain him at St James' Park or demand maximum compensation.
Barton understands big-money moves. The now 56-year-old, who featured in over 165 matches for Toon across seven seasons, became Britain's most costly defender when he joined Newcastle for £4 million ($3.9M) in 1995.
He said: "I just hope for the sake of football in the sense that the club make him stay or get £150M (around $202M) for him. Unless they offer him that type of money, don't let him go.
"I think someone has to make a stand. You can't just put down tools and think that you that's going to be enough to get away. Life shouldn't work like that. I know the modern game – it's a business but it should also be about loyalty. It wasn't too long ago that he signed a new contract.
"I'm always someone who wants to forgive and forget and move on, because he's a good player, and I genuinely think Alex is a good lad, but he's being badly advised at the moment.
"I don't agree with the burning of the shirt. I don't think that's right. Isak has scored goals and been excellent for us in the last couple of years. For me, he's part of the family.
"At the moment you wonder how he could play for Newcastle again. But if all this resolves itself and he bangs in a last-minute winner against someone in September then it's happy days again."
Newcastle kicked off their season with a goalless draw at Aston Villa last weekend. With Isak's situation still up in the air as Liverpool come to town, it's set to be a massive week on Tyneside.
But the club should embrace the "in Eddie we trust" mindset, Barton insists.
"After squeaking into the Champions League and winning a first trophy in 70 years in domestic football, Eddie has done a great job," he said.
"We still haven't got a sporting director at the moment but to bring the players we've brought in has given everyone a real lift. Then you throw a spanner in the works and it feels like a little bit of doom and gloom.
"But at the end of the day, we've strengthened our squad, we're in the Champions League and are probably in a better position than we were last time we were there.
"I'm a big fan of Eddie. I spoke to him in Philadelphia when they were over here in pre-season and I said, 'Don't deviate'. To be fair, he has stuck to his guns and kept going, he keeps believing. He has kept a level head."
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