Adam P

if we keep Isak then our strategy worked and we are stronger because of it. Don’t get roped into the emotional narratives around incompetence. The narrative around our transfer business until about a minute ago was that we were meticulous and made zeros to few mistakes.

No idea how to respond to that. It’s not only a poor response, it doesn’t really make any sense.

The thing that blows my mind the most about this episode is how many people have bought into the evidence free narrative that Isak ‘downed tools’. It’s such a shit cliche anyway but it’s actually highly offensive to Eddie Howe. i have said this before and was roundly ignored but there is 0% chance that the decision to not bring Isak on tour and let him train in Northern Spain was not 100% Eddie Howe’s. It may have been desired by Isak and his entourage, we have no ideas of that. One thing is certain is that Eddie would not allow any player to undermine his authority. It’s such a shit, unrealistic take that lends from tool workers in factories not elite high performance management. As fucking if it wasn’t Eddie’s decision.

Been my theory from the start that the Ekitike bid was part of our ‘Isak’ strategy. My view on our strategy this summer is that we have been on the defensive from the outset, knew what to expect and from who. Selling Isak for 130m plus and replacing him with an 80m plus player is good business but it doesn’t really make a huge dint in our PSR thresholds, especially with sell on for Sociedad and add ons for incomer.

Definitely sounds made up to me, as if KFC in Manchester has all those different fans working there.

I am currently on holiday in the French pays basque, just checked its 60km to Zubieta. Pretty sure the wife and kids would like a day trip to San Sébastien.

The post above yours says ‘when it’s empty’ not ‘with Sociedad’.

Every decision relating to his whereabouts will be taken or signed off by Eddie. As a top leader never mind football manager, EH will maintain his authority over all first team matters. It’s a fundamental of top leaders.

My view at the time was that our Ekitike bid didn’t seem genuine. We knew how Isak and his agent felt, Liverpool not so much.

I thought thé Isak to Liverpool story properly took off after our Ekitike bid? It seemed to me his agent reacted to that story.

It was a previous iteration of this board wasn’t it? I used to chat with him, he told me he was going to be a journalist. Fair play to him.

His agent panicked after Liverpool signed Ekitike

Exactly, what I said are the only two objectively known things. Everything else is reacting emotionally to social media bollocks.

After all that has happened? All that has happened is that his agent has said he wants to explore options as part of a bid to get his player paid more and Eddie made a decision to leave him at home. If you can’t handle that emotionally, you probably need help.

I’m confident too. Isak’s agent kicked off when Liverpool signed him, as though Isak’s options had suddenly shrank and his hand wasn’t as strong.

Eddie decided that Isak wouldnt go on the tour. No one else. To insinuate that Isak isnt on the tour because Isak decided not to go is bollocks but also offenseive to Eddie Howe.

Still about the same, we now know there were crisis meetings in March about keeping hold of Isak and that there were strategies put in place. Now that information doesnt come close to confirming a proactive strategy of chasing Liverpool's no.2 target to make them move for that target, but its definitely consistent. It remains a good strategy to keep ypur best player who could earn more elsewhere. We now know the concerns around keeping him go way back. None of this proves anything. Even the weakness in the theory that Ekitike was nott Liverpool's 'second' choice but was in fact part of a fooballing strategy to get both Ekitike and Isak doesnt undermine the strategic value of prompting a bid for Ekitike. If Isak leaves for Liverpool you would have to say that strategisiing around Liverpool's intentions in March probably wouldnt have led to the view that Liverpool would pursue both (obvioulsy Jota impacted this too). I do corporate strategy for a company over 50 times larger than Man City so maybe i am over thinking it.

Bruno was fucking excellent there. Handled superbly, great man.

Ok. Its still what i want to happen though.

I want us to offer him nearly what he would get at Liverpool and put a 150m release clause in the deal.

Fully agrree, he is the glue that holds us together. Incredible leader.

Thats one perspective. Another one is that its better for Isak to be in the same time zone as the commercial and operational team as contract negotiations are ongoing (with us and others obviously). Another perspective could be that he feels Isak needs time to think and understands he needs to make an important career decision, the injury needs some rest and the combination of factors means an exhausinting long trip to the far east is not good for him. Another perspective might be that some isolation works well both ways, given the Isak story is probably the biggest one in world club football, our players dont need the distraction. There's a whole range of unknown factors and Eddie has taken them all into account and decided on what he thinks is best for the club. No way in the world he would let an agent / player dictate to him on club matters.

I kind of agree but then i am not as good as leader as Eddie, there are a couple of scenarios where it makese sense and some where it doesnt. Not sure him being on the plane changes his football stats which are what make him worth 150m

Our manager is an extremely strong leader, the decision on whether Isak went to Asia was his and his alone. The idea that Isak would refuse to travel when Eddie wanted him too is just absurd and stupid. The reasons may have been emanating from the Isak's agent but the decision was Eddie's. Injury, looking for another club, whatever reasons you want to put in there are all the considerations but the decison-maker on everything related to our first team is Eddie.

I don’t know, your guess is as good as mine but him refusing to travel and us telling him to stay makes a difference to me. Maybe not as to whether he stays.