Ex-Newcastle coach weighs in on Howe's decision to sideline Isak for Celtic match

Newcastle played their friendly against Celtic without their leading man, Alexander Isak, who, amid swirling transfer rumors, was left at home by the decision of head coach Eddie Howe. Former Magpies manager Alan Pardew has now shared his perspective on the situation.

Details: Newcastle's head coach from 2010 to 2015 admits that transfer speculation may have unsettled Isak, but insists it's part of a manager's job to keep every player under control.

Quote: "If you read between the lines, it seems like the player is genuinely being affected by what's going on. Eddie (Howe) made a sensible call—he simply removed him from the situation... Whether he was actually under pressure or not, we can only speculate. But it was a wise move.

When a player wants to leave and shows it through his actions, it can become a problem. Has Isak lost his head? I'd say—possibly, yes. As a manager, you have to control the dressing room. You need to look at the situation with a clear mind and act accordingly. The coach has to strike a balance between telling a player he must play and taking him out of the squad for a while—for the good of everyone," Pardew told talkSPORT.