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Alexander Isak has loomed large in the coverage of Newcastle United vs Liverpool. The wantaway striker was afforded more air-time in the build-up than anyone actually involved in the match.
For a second game running, Isak was on a self-imposed exile. Reports broke shortly before kick-off that a Newcastle delegation had been to his home to try and coax him into reintegration, but for now the stand-off continues.
It will not come as news to you that this is because of Isak's desire to come to Anfield. And while many pundits have criticized the Swede for going to lengths perceived as extreme, Thierry Henry has offered a sympathetic perspective.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Henry posed the question of how the situation would be getting presented if the roles were reversed. He suggested that there would be little or no outrage if the club were pushing Isak toward the exit door:
"It's because [Isak] is good that people are getting upset," said Henry simply. "When a player is not good and the club wants him out, I don’t see anyone crying for the player."
It's a valid point. Many have been acting as though Isak is effectively precluded from kicking up a stink because of the six-year contract he agreed when he joined, but clubs rarely seem to be expected to honor those same commitments.
Just look across at Manchester United and Chelsea, where there are "bomb squads" being made to train alone to try and squeeze them out of the club before the transfer deadline. The latter example is particularly salient, given that the Blues have made a point of handing out contracts of close to a decade in length.
Ultimately, because all parties to a contract know about the possibility of the transfer market, deal lengths do not really operate as a genuine commitment to stay together for that full period. While players would be well advised not to commit for longer than they are willing to stay, everyone is aware of the market realities.
It is very rare that a player is effectively held against their will, especially when there is a willing buyer who has already tabled a bid in the region of $150 million. Isak will feel as though he has been left with very little choice but to take extreme measures.
"I can understand him," Henry said. "The only thing, you always put yourself in a position as a player where people might not understand if you don't come to training.
"This is something that it's very difficult for people to understand. But obviously they must have said something to him..."
Henry went on to say that it would be best for everyone if a move transpired this summer. Whether or not there is time for that remains to be seen.
In the meantime, both sides will continue to make do with what they have. Hugo Ekitike found the net for Liverpool against Newcastle, while Will Osula scored the most unlikely of equalizers in the absence of Isak.
But however the saga concludes, it is worth bearing in mind the thoughts of Henry. While even some Liverpool fans have seen fit to criticize Isak's behavior, it can just as easily be seen as a player standing up for himself in an industry where clubs do the same thing without batting an eyelid.
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