Speaking exclusively to BOYLE Sports , former Newcastle midfielder Jeff Hendrick gives his assessment on the departure of Alexander Isak and whether new signing Nick Woltemade has what it takes to emulate and replace their former star striker.
Hendrick also discussed the managerial merry-go-round at Man Utd and if former bosses Eddie Howe or Roy Keane could be the men to bring the good times back to Old Trafford and .
The piece concludes with the former Premier League star claiming his former club has the best midfield in the league and had high praise for Joelinton and gave his perspective if we're going to see Wrexham and Birmingham continue to rise under new ownerships and into the Premiership.
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak
If his situation was a year earlier, I would have crossed paths with him in the bomb squad. Unfortunately, I didn't. I was probably more surprised by how long it drew out publicly, two months.
Who knows, before they broke up for summer, there was talk of stuff being guaranteed behind closed doors. It must have been the case for him to push it that much.
I think it was always going to happen, even a month out. It was inevitable; there couldn't be a U-turn. The fans weren't happy. Then it was more Newcastle dragging it out, waiting to line up the player they wanted.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little bit of tactics involved: ‘Let's send him to Liverpool, not fit. He won't have had a proper pre-season. They're going to have to get him fit. They've got a backlog of games. Because if you look at it, he's obviously played a couple of games, but he's not an Alexander Isak of £120million. So it's probably clever from them.
Nick Woltemade
Nick Woltemade
I actually did a piece on Nick Woltemade last week, and I'm a really big fan of his. He's six-foot-six, but he doesn't play like a natural six-foot-six. It made me think back in my career if I've played with someone that big, maybe Peter Crouch, towards the end.
You have to think about it, you could be 15 yards away, and you're thinking, ‘Do I chip it to his head instead of playing it on the ground to his feet?’
But I think with Nick, he'll bring a different style of play, and I think it will be healthy for them with the players they have. I watched midweek during the Champions League how comfortable he is coming into the pockets, nearly a number 10 space, and taking the ball.
His first touch is nice, he's bringing players into play, and it gives them the chance to let the wingers run beyond because everyone knows at Newcastle their wingers are so fast, so it does open up channels for them.
I think Newcastle will end up playing a little differently because Alexander Isak was more about dribbling, and we all know he scored goals, but I think Woltemade will score goals too, maybe a little differently, but he's certainly capable of hitting double figures, and I hope he does.
Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe For Man Utd?
I would be so surprised if the Man Utd job came available and Eddie Howe took it. I think it's a really, really tough job to take now. They're kind of stuck. You look at Ruben Amorim coming in, and he had a good profile of what he'd done previously, but he looks disheartened.
He looks disheartened, even though he's had a summer to get a couple of signings in. I think they're better off maybe sticking with him for another transfer window, but who knows if they will.
Touching on Eddie Howe, he's got the run of the club at Newcastle now with how well he's done. He's able to bring in the players he wants and let go of the players he doesn't want. The fans love him. I don't see why he'd leave. I think for him, his target is to consistently hit Champions League football with that club.
Roy Keane
Roy Keane Back To Man Utd?
Roy Keane back to Man Utd? It depends on who the next manager would be. Ruben Amorim is still in the job, so we don't want to criticise him and call for a new manager. However, it truly depends on the next manager and what they want from him. He would certainly ruffle a few feathers, as we've discussed.
If you look at him in the media, he's unhappy with many of the Manchester United players, which is understandable. He's a legend at that club, and it's probably strange for him to see the current squad and players. It's a new era and the way they act, but it must be hard for him to accept the results, let alone the club's current state. It's no longer a team of world-class players.
Newcastle
Newcastle’s “Best Midfield In England”
Newcastle might have the best midfield in the Premier League. They're robust, strong, and have a bit of nastiness to them.
They're all comfortable on the ball and can pop up with goals. But I just love how compact they are and how hard they work. As I said, they celebrate tackles and put in 40–50-yard bursts and runs to help their defence.
I definitely agree that I don't see another midfield three matching or surpassing them. There may be a similar midfield three, but it's vital for Newcastle to keep them fit because they are so important to the club.
Joelinton Has Everything
I actually have a pal who's a Newcastle fan. He was delighted when I signed for them, but when Joelinton joined, he was saying he's not good, this and that. I know the price tag was there and then getting the number nine jersey, but I'm nearly sure he wasn't an out-and-out striker before he went to Newcastle.
We were under a lot of pressure at the time. The club wasn't in a good place. It was a little bit toxic. But after a week, my pal was like, saying he's crap and this and that. I was like, he's the best player here. He's literally got everything. He's like, no chance, no way. I said, honestly, he's big, strong, quick, runs all day, brilliant on the ball. I said, he's just not going to score you 20 goals a season.
I'm sure it was just before Eddie Howe came in, or possibly when Howe came in, they started bringing him back. They played him in the 10, then sort of two eights, but he had the license to roam into the 10 position.
I remember we played Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds, and it was man for man. And then one of the tactics was, get the ball to Joelinton, because they won't take the ball off him.
He was that good. So to see him transition is crazy, but I don't think he was an out-and-out striker. But it doesn't surprise me at all because I think he's brilliant, and he looks so comfortable in there. With the other two lads they all suit each other. They all have different roles as midfielders, and he doesn't look out of place at all.
Championship Goes Hollywood
Championship Goes Hollywood
Everyone had high hopes, and a lot of people look at momentum. The Championship is a grind, everyone knows that. Many clubs have been there for years and know how to stay in the league. You're not going to just turn up as Wrexham or Birmingham and beat these teams. The game between them wasn't the most exciting if you ask me.
I think both teams spent money, trying to target players with high wages, more than some teams relegated from the Premier League are paying. They definitely have the backing, but it's still early days.
Wrexham are trying to gel players together and have been unfortunate in a few games, but it takes time. I don't think either team is under pressure of relegation, but Birmingham might have a better chance of making the top-half play-offs, as they look more comfortable.
They brought Tom Huddlestone in as one of the coaches. He had an amazing playing career and has learned his craft, coming through the Man United system, similar to Kieran McKenna at Ipswich or Lee Grant at Huddersfield.
It seems Huddlestone has learned how to translate his footballing knowledge into coaching, which is a really good move for Birmingham.
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