‘He’s a bad egg’ – Newcastle dressing room’s Alexander Isak reveal emerges live on-air
Alexander Isak has been accused of being “difficult at times” as the striker eyes an exit from Newcastle.
The Swedish striker was due to head to Asia with the Magpies ahead of their pre-season tour, but pulled out of the squad with a thigh injury cited as the reason for his absence.
However, it quickly emerged that the real reason was down to Isak’s desire to leave Newcastle this summer.
The Magpies have repeatedly tried, and failed, to secure targets and despite being owned by some of the richest owners in world football and having Champions League football as a selling point, the Magpies have only managed to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Spanish youngster Antonio Cordero from Malaga, and Park Seung-soo from Japan’s second-tier.
Isak’s opportunity to make a move to Liverpool seems to be dwindling and when combined with Newcastle’s failings in the transfer market, the Swedish striker has made clear his desire to move on this summer.
But the Reds, or any other suitor, have been warned to be hesitant after a former England player accused the ex-Borussia Dortmund striker of being “difficult”.
Gabby Agbonlahor claims Isak is ‘difficult’
When asked by talkSPORT host Alan Brazil if Agbonlahor knew what Isak was like as a teammate, the ex-Aston Villa striker responded hesitantly.
He said whilst laughing nervously (25 July): “I’ve heard he’s maybe… hmmm… 50/50.”
Brazil replied: “Nah, Gabby I know you. That reaction, that means he’s not a nice individual.”
Agbonlahor: “I’ve heard that maybe he is… cause he knows how good he is, he can be difficult at times, as a teammate, put it that way.”
Brazil: “Ah, so he’s a bad egg.”
The best are always difficult
Football Insider Verdict
Cristiano Ronaldo is infamously volatile and is never shy of hiding his disdain for his teammates’ failings.
Thierry Henry has found it difficult to break through in his coaching career, as the Frenchman often struggles to comprehend why players cannot do the things he did.
Kevin De Bruyne has a very small group of people with whom he has been able to connect throughout his career.
Honestly, you could spend an eternity listing all the oddities of the greats, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll leave it at those three.
The point being, to be the very best, you are required to be not normal, to break those norms and do things in a way others can’t, or won’t, which can make them disconnected from those around them.
Isak may be difficult to be around, or he may not, but either way, that should not be off-putting for a potential suitor. On the contrary, it shows his willingness to put his and the success of the team above all else. So what if that can make him difficult to be around? Liverpool aren’t willing to pay £130million for a nice guy; they’re willing to shell out a huge amount of cash for a winner and a world-class talent, which is exactly what the Sweden international is, and continues to aspire to be.