When the chance to wear Newcastle United’s legendary No. 9 jersey presents itself, Alexander Isak ought to seize it with both hands.
Maybe save your powder dry on release day for young fans or kit collectors who intend to wear Alexander Isak’s name on their Adidas-designed shirts this summer. On June 7, Newcastle United is poised to unleash a fan frenzy when they unveil their newest uniforms for the 2024–25 season.
Many think the German behemoth wasted a marketing opportunity by releasing something more fitting for Geordie custom on June 9. That one was theirs to utilize at no cost.
Isak is the talk of Tyneside this month, having scored 12 goals in his past 13 Premier League games. Just as those from a bygone era lived vicariously through Jackie Milburn, Wyn Davies, Malcolm Macdonald, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Alan Shearer, or even Callum Wilson, the man left contemplating on the sidelines while the Swede bamboozles Premier league defences, the youth of today are undoubtedly copying his most recent brace against Sheffield United.
However, what link do those well-known names share? The No. 9 shirt is an honor that Isak has not yet received. He currently wears No. 14, which further evokes the likeness of legendary Arsenal player Thierry Henry.
Isak is the modern-day equivalent of the position, leading the line for Newcastle. All of the aforementioned players were vicious goal scorers, but none had the skill and dexterity of the £63 million man for the Magpies—possibly with the exception of Milburn.
However, that does not lessen his ability to score goals and, hence, his legitimate claim to carrying on his St. James’ Park legacy. An iconic piece of English football history, the No. 9 jersey on Tyneside has roots dating back to the legendary Hughie Gallacher of the 1920s.
Coal mines and shipbuilding were historically associated with the Northeast. Goal scorers are still regarded as gods among humans since no one performs them better.
Of the players mentioned above, only Cole (0.78 per game) scored league goals at a higher rate than Isak (0.6 per game). He is even better than the legendary Shearer (0.48 per game), who is probably still in his prime at Blackburn Rovers.
The incumbent, Wilson, is a barrier. Similar to the conventional No. 9 role, the 32-year-old is a goal-hungry predator in his own right.
He has accurately depicted the shirt. The 18 goals from the previous season were crucial to Newcastle’s current situation, as were the goals that kept the team afloat throughout Mike Ashley’s later years. Wilson was considered by many to be the best in black and white since Shearer before Isak.
However, Newcastle has been beset by persistent injury issues lately, so with one year remaining on his contract, this would be the ideal time to sell. And should they succeed, Eddie Howe has the ideal heir in line to take up the mantle.
Despite having every quality a striker could ask for in the modern era, Isak needs to transform this summer. If he accepts the shirt, supporters will see him as one of Tyneside’s greatest goal machines.
