Jose Mourinho nails it when asked about Alexander Isak's Newcastle exit - 'Everybody knows'

Jose Mourinho is one of the legends of the dugout in the Premier League and he put in a sparkling performance in front of the cameras on Monday night

Jose Mourinho has heaped praise on Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United squad for the way they dealt with Alexander Isak going on strike last summer.

The Sweden international refused to play or train in order to win his £130m move to Liverpool leaving Newcastle short on a striker and then with limited time to find a replacement as the window ticked down. But the former Chelsea, Tottenham and Man United boss feels that Newcastle have recovered well from the Isak episode.

And pinpointed Nick Woltemade as a big threat to his Benfica team ahead of this evening's Champions League clash at St James' Park.

Mourinho said: "What happened with Isak in the summer is very difficult for a club and very difficult for a coach and very difficult for the fellow players.

"I think in the end everybody knows he is going to leave to Liverpool. But one thing is everybody knows he is going to leave, and another is it is done.

"When it is done you can move on, when it is done you can have a new player and when you have a new player you can start to train and adapt to play with the new player because of course Isak and Nick Woltemade are different players."

Woltemade goes into the game on the back of another goal against Brighton to take his tally for all teams to seven goals for the season. Mourinho, who wooed the Tyneside media during a captivating 30 minutes Press conference, said: "There is always a transition but it looks like this boy (Woltemade) has been playing here all his life.

"Because he is performing, adapting and loved by the fans. Newcastle are doing things right, doing things right."

Mourinho, who started his career as a translator then assistant to Newcastle legend Sir Bobby Robson, also spoke of his affection for St James' Park and playing in front of the passionate Geordie crowd.

He said: "It is a fantastic place to play football. People do not come here to watch the game, they come here to play it with them.

"It'’s not just the stadium, itrs the club, the history the passion and the fans. The economic power they have to have the team that they have, to win a trophy, two seasons in the Champions League.

"It is a team that is very close to even bigger things. It is a very different club because of the culture of the city in this region.

"It is different culturally to London, Manchester and other clubs in England. I love playing here. I said that to the players, even as an opponent, it is beautiful, the atmosphere you will feel that, you will see that tomorrow evening."

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