Contract talks are not the priority as Sean Longs for his place
ACE OUT TO RECAPTURE MAGIC OF LAST SEASON
SEAN Longstaff’s second season as a Newcastle United first-teamer has been far from plain sailing. While the high of the Manchester United game – in which he was the best performer – was one of his best displays in a Newcastle shirt, the lingering impact of his serious knee injury and a red card against Wolves have been chastening evidence of the work still to do for the North Shields native.
It’s mid-November and he’s started seven games, but a campaign that was meant to confirm him as one of England’s leading midfield talents has been far too stop-start so far. That red card broke up his midfield pairing with his brother, Matty, and leaves him looking in on the first-team picture. With one more game to serve of his suspension – Monday’s trip to Aston Villa – and a fortnight off sandwiched in between it’s been a long time kicking his heels.
“It was really frustrating. I don’t think any player wants to give up their place in the team. I think, when you get sent off, you give it up pretty cheaply, to be honest,” he admits.
“That was one of the things that disappointed me the most. Look, you cannot complain. Every footballer gets sent off. It’s not like I was going to go through my whole career without getting sent off, but, at the time, it’s disappointing. “But I’ve taken a step back and looked at it from a different perspective. I’ve been in the gym every day getting stronger, fitter, faster. Hopefully, I can hit the ground running when I do come back and give the manager a headache.”
Longstaff’s absence has seen the team win back-to-back games – something he is delighted about but which makes his task of returning to the side that bit harder.
With his brother also out of the side, it’s been a case of returning to earth with a bump after the accolades of the Manchester United win. “That’s football, isn’t it? Things aren’t going to go your way all the time. From my point of view, I knew I wasn’t going to play (against West Ham), but I thought Matty would,” he said.
“When he got left out, I was obviously really disappointed for him, but the manager made a decision and Jonjo [Shelvey] came in and scored and Isaac [Hayden] came in and did really well. It’s a squad game at the end of the day and we’re going to need everyone. “We’ll look to push up the table, which everyone in the dressing room thinks we can. It’s disappointing not to be playing, but you are a team, and the only way you’re going to be successful is with everyone doing their bit. “Hopefully, for me, this is my little break from the team, and when I come back, I can get back in as soon as possible and get back to where I was.” In a close-knit family, dad David – Great Britain’s most-capped ice hockey star – has been on hand to offer support and advice.
“My dad will have experienced that as well,” he admits.
“When he went to Sweden that was the first time he was in a really similar position to us where there were also other world-class players on his team.
“Everything didn’t always go his way, and he spoke to us about that. It’s hard to be angry when the team are winning.
“Any successful team, you’re going to need everyone to play their part. As long as we’re winning, everyone’s happy.”
In the background, Longstaff’s agent has been involved in contract negotiations. The club spoke about rewarding his performances but there has not been much progress.
“It’s up to the club, what they want to do. There have been conversations. I don’t want to give too much away,” he said.
“That was a little while ago. But, like I said, I’m not really worried about contracts and stuff like that. I’m just trying to concentrate on football. At the end of the day, that’s
Hopefully, for me, this is my little break from the team, and when I come back, I can get back in as soon as possible and get back to where I was
Sean Longstaff
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what I want to do. You didn’t play when you were younger to worry about contracts and this and that, and that’s how I’m looking at it now. I’m just continuing to work hard and do my job every day.”
His maturity illustrates why Newcastle should be attempting to keep the midfielder, who has made huge strides since turning up to the Newcastle United Foundation dinner a year ago and being “ignored”.
Made a patron of the Foundation, Longstaff is looking forward to helping their work in the future.
“When the Foundation approached me, it was about halfway through last season. I snapped their hand off, really. I wanted to get involved,” he said.
“Being from up here, you see the amount of work they do and the amount of people they help. It’s amazing, really.”