Alexander Isak (CF) Newcastle

Well it is Alderley Edge…posers paradise… but some do live locally. Diaz lived 100 yards from me.

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The bridge is burnt and floating down the Tyne to the North Sea.

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Just thinking about the domestic side of any move, I was interested in this article in The Guardian, particularly how they addressed the family’s needs in encouraging a transfer:

The head of player care

We were told the prospective new signing had young kids who adored the movie Frozen. We also knew he had been over by himself for a visit and had not been taken by the area or any of it, really. He was wavering. So the club asked me and my team whether we could resurrect it.

Our work often starts before the transfer, selling the idea of life away from the pitch. Houses, schools, restaurants, flights back to the player’s home country. With the player in question, we brought his family over. We took them to see houses that were within their budget. And we wandered around central London with an actor dressed up as Elsa from Frozen, who we had paid £200. By the end of day two, the family were saying: ‘We’re home.’ The player signed.

Another part of it is coordinating the signing day. That’s booking the flight in, whether it’s commercial or private. Getting the player to the hotel, making sure he’s not seen. There’s security. Some clubs like to use decoy cars from the airport to throw waiting media off the scent. It’s also guiding the player through the medical, providing translation services, itinerary building that takes in media and comms.

The player-care team will see the player five times a day for the first couple of weeks, sorting out the building blocks of life: house, car, bank account, visa, phone, schools. And then the role changes to more of a support mechanism, so it’ll be once or twice a day.

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It still amuses me that Tevez saw his first payslip and wondered why someone called PAYE was taking so much of his money. :rofl:

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I still wonder that every month!

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Joyce

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Don’t worry Isak, we have seen the excellent barbecues Alisson puts on.

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I cant see how this helps anyone, it’s just a really petty thing to do. Surely a want away player should still be made welcome to an event like this.

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You would think thats the correct course of action.

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I’m beginning to understand his father a bit more… :rofl:

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I mean on one hand I like that you clearly respected his privacy - but to think of all the lost ITK opportunities…kind of tragic.

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Wilmslow and Withington and Prestbury..

https://x.com/CraigHope_DM/status/1953474453775552674

Isn’t he injured anyway?

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Sounds like we’d be doing Sandcastle a favour taking him off their hands at this point. Generous club that we are, I reckon Hughes would even do this free of charge so Sandcastle can save their pennies

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No a sickness, hes sick of Newcastle.

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How is that big news….

It would seem pretty much a formality at this point. He won’t play for Newcastle again until the window shuts if not at all.

https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1953475706500866336

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The bbq thing might have been a relief on both sides.

Isak has made his intention very clear. It would have been awkward for him to go and socialize with a group you are leaving. And for the group, and the club - who were presumably trying to foster a bit of team bonding - having Isak there would have undermined what they were trying to do.

The above works if Isak is leaving. If there was a chance for him to stay and reintegrate, not going to the bbq hurts that.

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Oh dear… :joy: They are cursed

https://x.com/Plettigoal/status/1953496670697591195

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Goncalo Ramos? Might Newcastle move on to him?

It is getting a bit silly, the amount of players they are missing out on. If Bayern’s interest is serious, that surely ends the race for Jackson.

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