■About Isaac being not present
Eddiehao said: "The reason why Isaac is not present today is very simple. If he cannot play, what Isaac is most reluctant is to sit in the stands to accept various attention and speculation from the outside world. I think that is unfair to the players. Both of us agree that he needs more training time, so he will not play today. Since we have reached a consensus, it is the best choice not to come to the scene."
Newcastle will go to Asia next week to start a preseason trip in Singapore and South Korea. Head coach Eddiehao said he expects Isaac to participate in those games.
Eddiehao said: "I'm very sure Isaac will go to Singapore and South Korea with the team and participate in the game there, completely sure."
■About Isaac's future
Eddiehao said: "Does the club want to keep him? Of course, there is no doubt. From the board of directors to the coaching staff to the players, no one disagrees. We appreciate his abilities and also appreciate him as a person. He is very important to us."