Eddie Howe is held in high regard by the vast majority of players he has worked with. The now-departed Newcastle United manager can look back on strong bonds forged with a host of stars during his tenure on Tyneside. Take Bruno Guimaraes, who branded Howe the "King of the club" as he paid a gushing tribute amid links over a potential departure to Arsenal.
However, after nearly five years in charge, it is inevitable that not every relationship has remained on solid ground. A small number of occasions turned decidedly frosty, with Alexander Isak and Ryan Fraser the most notable examples.
Isak's push for Liverpool
Alexander Isak pushed for a switch to Liverpool last summer. As speculation intensified, the Swedish striker was omitted from a friendly at Celtic and the tour of Asia, as well as being made to train on his own.
To Howe's credit, he held back from publicly criticising Isak, despite his evident frustration. Isak, however, fired off an explosive social media statement in which he took aim at the Magpies and alleged that promises had been broken.
"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading," Isak wrote. "When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can't continue. That's where things are for me right now - and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself."
Isak ultimately got his wish, joining Liverpool for a British transfer record of £125million. The saga arguably sowed the seeds of doubt in Howe's mind about how far he could take the club.
Fraser's fall-out
Howe also endured a fractious relationship with Ryan Fraser. The pair first fell out at Bournemouth following a dispute over a short-term contract extension, when the Cherries desperately needed him to sign a deal to help them avoid relegation in 2020.
Fraser subsequently joined Newcastle under Steve Bruce, before he and Howe made a fresh start in 2021. By 2023, however, Fraser had been relegated to training with the under-21s, with Howe openly conceding that the Scottish winger had no future at the club.
Howe said: "I'd never put a firm decision on that [whether Fraser has a future at the club] because life and football can change quickly. But I'd say, at the moment, no he doesn't." He added: "Ryan's training with the under-21s. I made the decision to concentrate on players that are committed to Newcastle. For the benefit of the group, I've made that call."
Earlier this year, Fraser maintained he harboured no ill will towards Howe, describing him as a 'father figure' during his spell at Bournemouth and commenting: "He can make any player in this world better."
