Exclusive: Newcastle Legend Barton Backs Hotshot Isak To Guide Magpies To Silverware

Newcastle great Warren Barton is confident the Magpies can build a trophy-winning side around top-scorer Alexander Isak.

Barton enjoyed seven seasons with Newcastle in the Premier League and has been dazzled with Isak’s goalscoring exploits following his high-profile arrival to St. James’ Park from Real Sociedad.

The highly-rated 22-year-old hitman netted 44 goals in 132 appearances for Sociedad and has started life in Tyneside with seven goals in his first 15 games for the club, with six of those having come in the club’s last eight games.

Barton sees many happy comparisons between the Sweden international and club leading scorer Alan Shearer, a player who lit up Newcastle in his pomp.

“Isak is huge for us,” Barton told SportsBoom.com. 

“He’s a goalscorer, he works the channels and he has pace, which every defender hates. He’s an important player."

“He loves scoring goals. He’s done it at international level, he’s a massive player for us."

“The most important player for us when I played was Alan Shearer, you need someone to put the ball into the back of the net."

“He’s a totally different player to Alan in the sense of the way he plays, but he scores goals."

“He makes his own goals and he’s a finisher as well. I’m a big fan of his."

“But it’s important we add around him and build a team around him."

“I don’t think it will be too long before he gets the number nine shirt [which Shearer wore]."

“If they do that and give a couple of new contracts to the big players, then Newcastle will be in an ever better place.”

Isak joined the Magpies on a long-term deal worth about £60million in August 2022, and so far he has scored a commendable 42 goals in a total of 82 appearances.

But as well as averaging a goal every other game, Isak has also bagged 37 goals in 65 games in the Premier League, having taken little time to adjust to the demands of the top flight, as well as enjoying seeing Isak score goals for fun, Barton also stressed the important of goalkeeper Nick Pope to the club’s chance of future success.

“I also love the goalkeeper Nick Pope, he’s such an important player,” added Barton, twice an FA Cup finalist with Newcastle and also a UEFA Intertoto Cup runner-up.

“I spoke to Shay Given about him and there’s maybe one or two things he can improve at, maybe passing out and using his feet on the ground, but he makes big saves at big moments." 

“That, always for me, is the sign of a top keeper. I’m a big fan of his.”

TIME TO REDISCOVER MOJO

Newcastle started the season brightly but have dropped down the standings having not won in their last four Premier League games.

But Barton is convinced the Magpies can now get on a decent run with no more international breaks to worry about for a while.

“I think now we can really kick on after all these international breaks, it’s been disruptive, I’ve never known it be every month at the start of a season,” he said.

“But I’m not one of them people who complain and say the players have played too many games, at the end of the day they’re well looked after and they prepare at the highest level."

“I’m just really pleased Eddie Howe has shown his class again as a person, that he’s really identified what he feels is his best team."

“He’s got a great selection of players to move forward. Dan Burn has stepped up big-time with [Sven] Botman being out – and really playing in his favourite position at centre-half."

“Sean Longstaff has come in and done great, he’s a bit of an unsung hero who gets stuck in and runs around the field."

“You have to have that balance because you can’t all be ball players, someone has got to do the other side of the game."

“They’ve got a nice balance at the back and the two young full-backs Tino Livramento (22) and Lewis Hall (20) have been phenomenal."

“But we’re going to need everybody this season because we’re not quite, there yet."

“I think a lot of that has to do with our mindset, but we’re definitely going in the right direction.”