00:00So, I'm joined now by Andrew Musgrove of the Everything Is Black and White podcast, part of the Chronicle.
00:09Andrew, late last night it was Newcastle United and Liverpool agreeing a fee in the region of £130 million for Alexander Isaac.
00:19Now, on the surface at least, you could argue that Newcastle have caved,
00:23but also you could argue that Newcastle are getting a really good deal for a player who's been on strike for some time and who hasn't had any pre-season.
00:31So, how did you see it initially when it came out?
00:37Inevitable. I thought it was going to happen.
00:40In terms of the fee, yes, we were told that Newcastle were going to hold out for at least £150 million,
00:46but I think they're in an impossible position, really,
00:50simply because they've got a player who doesn't want to play for Newcastle United and he made that clear as recent as last week.
00:56So, what were they to do?
00:57If he wasn't sold to Liverpool, how difficult would it be to reintegrate him into Eddie Howe's squad,
01:03where really it is a squad that is built upon that spirit and drive to work for the badge?
01:09And you've got a player there who's made his intentions very, very clear,
01:13that if he didn't get his move away from Newcastle United, he didn't want to play for them again.
01:18So, I think the club have looked at that and thought, OK, we can get a big fee.
01:22Yes, maybe £20 million than we originally wanted,
01:25but £130 million is still a huge astronomical price to pay for anybody these days
01:31and that can be reinvested into the playing squad.
01:34And actually, if they manage to get a second striker in today,
01:37you could argue, alongside all the business they've already done,
01:41they come out of this stronger.
01:42Well, we'll come on to that in just a moment as well.
01:46I think if you look at perhaps from a supporter perspective,
01:50certainly games recently, Newcastle fans have voiced their disdain for Alexander Ezek.
01:56Lots of chants that certainly have shown just where the sentiment is from the supporter fan base.
02:02So, despite the fact that they are losing a player who won the McCup final,
02:08who was revered, who scored twice against Sunderland,
02:11the way he's acted, clearly those bridges had been burnt.
02:15And so, from that perspective, do you think that Newcastle supporters are actually,
02:20despite what he's done in a black and white shirt,
02:22happy that he's probably not going to be here anymore?
02:25Yes, I think the majority will be because, as you say, the bridges have been burned.
02:31And I never saw a way back for him.
02:33I know Eddie Howe was very diplomatic every time he was asked about it,
02:37but he had to be because there was a chance that he would have to try and persuade Alexander Ezek
02:41to pull on that black and white shirt again after the deadline had gone.
02:45But I was never convinced it would work,
02:48simply because this club means so much to the fans.
02:52They'd give anything to be able to pull on that black and white shirt
02:55just for 30 seconds to run out onto that pitch at St. James' Park.
02:59And Alexander Ezek is getting paid big money to do that
03:01and is refusing to do that.
03:04And he's disrespected the fan base, disrespected Eddie Howe,
03:07and disrespected his teammates, and more than anything, the club as a whole.
03:11So, I don't think you'll find many Newcastle United fans, if any at all,
03:14who are sad to see him go.
03:16I think where the sadness comes in is how his legacy has been tarnished
03:20because you mentioned there what he achieved.
03:22And he could have gone to Liverpool this summer with that legacy intact.
03:26And Newcastle United fans would have reluctantly seen him go.
03:29But with a big price tag, that would have been a little less hurtful.
03:33What has hurt them more than anything is the way he has acted.
03:36And unfortunately for him, for the fan base,
03:39and to be fair, I'm not really sure he'll care too much
03:42because he's got his move at the end of the day.
03:44It's that legacy that's been tarnished
03:46because we should be thinking about the cup final and him scoring.
03:51But I know people who can't even watch him score that goal anymore.
03:54And that's really, really sad.
03:56I think if we just finish, though, on the final point,
03:58is that gaining £130 million sorts Newcastle out PSR-wise
04:03for years and months to come.
04:06And from that perspective,
04:08given how much it's been briefed in the media
04:10and talked about PSR, PSR, PSR,
04:13it does bring those issues to an end for at least a little while.
04:18Yeah, there's still got to be careful
04:20and still got to do the calculations and the accounts
04:23and still spend very wisely.
04:25But obviously, it's a massive, massive boost.
04:28And it's that kind of Coutinho moment, isn't it,
04:30that Liverpool had when they sold him to Barcelona.
04:33So that's the way I was always looking at it.
04:36Sell Alexander-Zak for a big amount of money.
04:38Make sure you get a replacement in.
04:39And then actually, you're in a really healthy position to go on.
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