OPINION
Being treated with respect is what the majority of players would expect from their clubs, but Newcastle United look like they are going against that regarding the treatment of their midfielder Isaac Hayden.
The Mirror report that the United enforcer handed in a transfer request citing personal reasons, but the Magpies blocked any move away from the club this summer, claiming he was still a part of their plans for the season.
However, it now appears like Newcastle are playing games with Hayden, as they failed to name him in the match day squad to face Tottenham Hotspur in their season opener last weekend.
The 23-year-old does not deserve to be treated in this way, and the club should not be telling him one thing then acting like nothing was said.
This sort of treatment can play with a footballer’s head, not least Hayden, who is anxious to get his future at the club sorted imminently so he knows where he stands.
But Newcastle do not seem to know where they stand in all of this – it is acceptable to have a stance of wanting to keep a player at the club, but the appropriate steps would then be to give him some sort of involvement in the squad.
Why they feel it is acceptable to subject Hayden to this type of treatment remains to be seen, but they need to resolve his future at the club – if there is any – as soon as possible.
Rafa Benitez clearly does not view him as a player who he wants to integrate into the first team on a regular basis, so they need to tell him he can go instead of making out he is wanted by the manager.
Hayden will thrive at wherever he ends up next, and hopefully he will leave the games Newcastle were playing firmly in the past.
