Sean Longstaff has been underwhelming since his return from the knee injury he suffered in March. While he has been putting in the effort, he seems to be a bit off the pace at times and somewhat tentative.
While that is to be expected when recovering from a severe injury, Longstaff has yet to show the form that brought him to the attention of Manchester United this summer.
Sean recently mentioned that he was flattered with the interest of the Red Devils but always follows those revelations with his desire to play for Newcastle United.
The Daily Mail are reporting that Steve Bruce has spoken to Sean to tell him to forget about outside distractions and just concentrate on his performances for his hometown club.
Sean Longstaff– needs to get back to the form he showed last year
This is what Bruce has said about the 21-year-old:
“I think Sean Longstaff now needs to concentrate on his own performances, rather than worrying about speculation and tittle-tattle. I don’t think there was any real legs in the Man United story, it all happened before I arrived here.
“All Sean can do now is recover from his bad knee and start putting in the performances that would ultimately get you linked – and start playing well again.”
There were reports last week that Manchester United were plotting a £40m swoop for Sean to help bolster their midfield. With Sean’s performances being a little off so far, we find those reports to be somewhat dubious.
However if Sean is reading about them, then Bruce does need to have a talk with him to make sure he does not get unsettled.
Bruce also talked about the midfielder’s contract situation. It was reported earlier in the year that the club were going to make Sean one of the highest paid players at the club. In one report, the amount of £80k/week was mentioned.
Those reports appear to be wide of the mark based on the following comments by Bruce:
“I do believe he signed a new contract last Christmas. There is no problem there contract wise.
“The thing for him now is to forget contracts, forget his knee injury, forget Man Utd, it’s all about playing well for us now and getting back to playing like we know he is capable.”
We’re not sure how we feel about Bruce making all of this public. Bruce has a bad habit of revealing too much in his interviews. While we appreciate Bruce talking to the young Geordie, what he says should be left between them. There’s no reason to make this public.
It comes across as though Sean is pushing for a move or a new deal. We just hope that wouldn’t be the case. Everything we’ve heard from Sean points to him wanting to continue to play for Newcastle United.
69 comments so far
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 7:50 AM
Comment #41Eh today you mean?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:22 AM
Comment #42Nicky, If you’re about,
”Hard not to draw the conclusion that Steve Bruce was quite likely given the remit by Charnley and Ashley to play more attacking football”
Good read when I was catching up this morning and see two sides to it, it does seem plausible that they could think it was as easy as that but on the other hand, knowing that Ashley doesn’t give a jot about the product being offered on the pitch it’s also hard not to think that the only remit Brucie was given at all was to achieve that 38 point mark, hence his ”under par” comment.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:24 AM
Comment #43He’s also told, in his interview questioning the capabilities of our players, the other 19 PL managers exactly how we’re going to be setting up from now on, it might, just might work at home to City and even Man U, but how does conceding 70% possession work at home to Norwich? and especially when they know that we’re going to be playing like that.
Reilly
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:32 AM
Comment #44Craig Hope
@CraigHope_DM
·
36m
Comment: Steve Bruce is playing a risky game saying his NUFC players aren’t capable of playing his preferred attacking football… it is already starting to feel like self preservation.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7542063/amp/Steve-Bruce-playing-dangerous-game-shifting-seasons-shortcomings-players.html?__twitter_impression=true
Jib
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:35 AM
Comment #45Apparently SB was at Old Trafford last Monday for
the Man U Arsenal draw running an eye over todays
opponents and received some advice from Sir Alex.
I wonder if that’s one of the reasons he decided to revert
to Rafa’s tried and tested system
DubaiMicky
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:48 AM
Comment #46Loving this pic from The Magpie Group, Corbyn holding a Toon top!
https://twitter.com/MagpieGroupNUFC/status/1180608186400817152
Is that Chi standing next to him?
Fair play to the guy and to The Group for getting him there and to be pictured with a non-ashLIE shirt.
Mindshaft
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:54 AM
Comment #47Everyone I read anything from Bruce he just seems clueless , however even if we sack him I just can’t see anyone decent coming under Ashley regime , Rafa was an anomaly in a world of kinnear / pardew / McClaren / Carver
hibbit
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:55 AM
Comment #48“don’t blame me it’s our crap players fault”
that’s definitely going to bring the dressing room back on side,
what a shambles pure pantomime from Bruce the clown.
Trent1211
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:55 AM
Comment #4910am Craig Hope and Neil Custis on Sunday Supplement. A lot on us.
Trent1211
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Comment #50Season Arrivals Departures Net
19/20 61.56 32.08 29.48
18/19 53.78 43.18 10.6
17/18 39.87 17.57 22.3
16/17 57.38 90.79 -33.41
15/16 97.12 4.17 92.95
14/15 40.52 21.25 19.27
13/14 3.42 23.28 -19.86
12/13 28.77 13.32 15.45
11/12 23.45 14.44 9.01
10/11 12.58 37.58 -25
09/10 5.64 24.35 -18.71
08/09 31.66 37.26 -5.6
07/08 34.07 28.04 6.03
Overall 489.82 387.31 102.51
Average 37.68 29.79 7.89
£8m net per season spent on transfers
Profit on transfers in 5 of 13 seasons
Where has the money gone?!
Trent1211
Oct 6, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Comment #51Uh oh! Formatting!
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:15 AM
Comment #52Trent do you realise there’s more to running the club than just transfers in and out? Think you need to come away from Champ manager.
DubaiMicky
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:22 AM
Comment #53From my previous post, the chronic are running it too.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/jeremy-corbyn-tells-newcastle-labour-17038263
He said: “There are people here tonight I’m sure who support Newcastle United. But none of you are very happy with how that club is run, are you? And I will be meeting some of the supporters later on about the way to bring democracy into football, the way a Labour government will make the Premier League clubs pay money for grassroots football and the way that fans will be empowered.
“Football shouldn’t be just a business, football is our lives, our community and it’s the place where people go to socialise and enjoy each other’s company. Let’s take the beautiful game away from the billionaires and hand it to the fans instead.”
.
.
Now I don’t agree with him or his policies, but fair play to him – lets face it he isn’t going to win the next election and you could put a donkey up for election in some stalwart Labour seats and it’d get in (and make a right ass of itself in Parliament), however, it’s a high ranking politician taking aim at ashLIE.
That’s got to be good yes?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:27 AM
Comment #54‘You can’t think you’re going to get two or three years to change things round, you have to work with what you’ve got and try to find a few results”
Considering he’s never been a ta club longer than that anyway wtf is he on about.
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:29 AM
Comment #55when he says give it back to the fans do you think he is talking about these fan syndicate type ownership that is common in German football?
Talking about the finances I think this article showing the costs involved in relegation and a balanced view on the overall accounts is fantastic. Trent I would recommend you need to read this to start understand this aspect a little more before commenting.
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:29 AM
Comment #56http://www.true-faith.co.uk/true-faith-newcastle-united-accounts-2016-17-part-1
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Comment #572-1 today I think! Cmooon
Ashley out! Bruce out!
Jib
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:35 AM
Comment #58Steve Bruce
Birmingham City 6 years
Hull City 4 years
bettyswallocks
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:52 AM
Comment #59Micky ……… Ashley is on the record having said to Chi Onwurah, “Would you put your money into it.? ” ” It ” being made to sound like something you would find on the bottom of your shoe. That is what he thinks of us.
He has no intentions of even allowing the club to re invest the money it generates as we can all see very clearly that he is skimming money out and not even spending on basic maintenance.
Sadly there is nothing anyone can do legally to make him spend his or the club’s money in any way other than how he decides , so the only option we have is to keep shaming and humiliating him publicly
to try and further tarnish his already blackened name.
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 9:58 AM
Comment #60Betty can you show evidence of Ashley skimming money out? He’s the worst owner I have ever seen but I don’t see him doing this based on reviews of the accounts. He of course could be hiding this somehow but would be good to see the evidence if you have found it. He was taking money out in one way for years by not paying for SD advertising but apparently that’s not the case any longer and the club receive a fee (will likely be peanuts)!
Trent1211
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Comment #61Transfers are instructive 83. Pitiful amount spent. I wouldn’t trust the headline figures in accounts regarding other outgoings as far as I could throw them. They are not gospel truth delivered on tablets of stone. Creative accounting is a thing. Particularly from an institution proven to lie. Why are you such an apologist for the club?
Trent1211
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:01 AM
Comment #62What kind of Newcastle supporter goes in to bat for Ashley. Fights his battles for him online?
Jib
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:04 AM
Comment #63Actual quote
“He asked me what I would have done if I bought the club? Would I be putting all my personal money in? What I said to him was if I bought the club, I’d know I wasn’t just buying a money machine; I was buying a social icon which is part of the heritage and lifeblood of the city and has to be treated like that.
however he was very clear that he felt he had already invested hugely in the club but I said buying the club is not investing in it. You buy a house but you invest in it when you start putting money in it, when you start rebuilding it. Your money is loans, not equity.”
Nufc-83
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:07 AM
Comment #64Trent like the frog did when I accused Ashley of murder? If you say something I believe is incorrect be prepared to defend it even if it is about someone I dislike or believe is hurting the club.
Trent so if you don’t believe the accounts why don’t you put them next to a club of a similar stature (I always use Everton) and compare things like Commercial revenue etc. That should give you an understanding if something is very wrong. I think you will struggle to be honest. I am always open to debate and for someone to show me something that proves otherwise unlike many others on here.
Anglo Saxon
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:11 AM
Comment #65Jeremy Corbyn tells Newcastle.
He said: “There are people here tonight I’m sure who support Newcastle United. But none of you are very happy with how that club is run, are you? And I will be meeting some of the supporters later on about the way to bring democracy into football, the way a Labour government will make the Premier League clubs pay money for grassroots football and the way that fans will be empowered.
“Football shouldn’t be just a business, football is our lives, our community and it’s the place where people go to socialise and enjoy each other’s company. Let’s take the beautiful game away from the billionaires and hand it to the fans instead.”
Reilly
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Comment #66http://financialfootballnews.com/newcastle-uniteds-2018-finances/
http://financialfootballnews.com/everton-fcs-2018-finances/
Anglo Saxon
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Comment #67Come on the FROG.
Moonraker15
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:44 AM
Comment #68Craig Hope slaughtering SB on Sunday Supplement on Sky.
They have apparently fallen out over Hope’s criticism.
bettyswallocks
Oct 6, 2019 at 10:59 AM
Comment #69Nufc-83…………….. As I said the club officially belongs to Ashley so he is legally entitled to manipulate the finances as he sees fit. The revenue generated by the club is being syphoned out into his other companies set up specifically for this purpose. Shirt sales, Matchday catering , cheap advertising for SD etc etc.
Our legitimate grievances are the fact that Ashley has leeched on to a club steeped in history and tradition with a massive loyal fanbase and changed it’s identity from a proud sporting institution into a tacky advertising hoarding and revenue stream for him. This is treating a region of people with utter disdain and contempt and although I believe in a free market society there has to be a line that isn’t crossed if it destroys a cities heritage.