Eddie Howe bit his tongue when asked about Alexander Isak but it was clear the Newcastle United gaffer is seething
Eddie Howe is in the S-tier when it comes to hiding his emotions. The Newcastle United gaffer rarely lets the mask slip in public; even when things are stacked against him, he manages to keep a calm demeanour.
We're certain that's not the case behind the scenes, as he and several players have confirmed that he has the capacity to let fly when he needs to, but in public, his conduct is impeccable.
When you have the likes of Mikel Arteta, who, let's be kind here, wears his heart on his sleeve, and Jose Mourinho, who simply doesn't give a Foxtrot, Eddie Howe is the polar opposite.
However, if you read between the lines with Eddie, he does leave some hints behind, and that was the case in his press conference this morning when he was bombarded with questions about Alexander Isak.
Eddie Howe remained calm when pushed on Alexander Isak, but there's a clear resentment there
There was no way any of the journalists were genuinely expecting an answer, but one or two did ask the Toon boss how he was feeling about Alexander Isak's conduct this summer.
Each time he was asked something along those lines, Howe simply responded with something along the lines of 'now is not the time to go into that'.
At the end of the day, Alexander Isak is still a Newcastle player, and Howe must prepare for the possibility that he has to reintegrate Isak into the squad if he's not sold and the striker comes to his senses.
We would love to see Eddie Howe let fly once Alexander Isak leaves
How we read it, though, is that given Eddie Howe said on more than one occasion, 'now is not the time', he's definitely got something to say, and should Isak get his wish and leave the club this summer, there could be a gloves-off comment coming from Eddie Howe.
WE doubt it, obviously, as he's far too professional for that, but he's definitely boiling under the surface, and who can blame him?
Imagine, for a moment, though, that Eddie Howe does make a statement about Isak's conduct this summer once he's no longer under his employ. The Wor Flags display that would lead to would be monumental!
