Longstaff

[Zippity]

Fantastic article in the Times today (no, I don't subscribe...a fact that will surprise no-one )

It's currently not behind their paywall so I've copied it before it is. Enjoy.

At quarter past seven on Thursday morning Michelle Longstaff was back at work. The night before, her son Sean had scored his first Champions League goal in a 4-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain and St James’ Park had reverberated to the rhythm of joy.
High up in an executive box in the Milburn Stand, parallel with the edge of the penalty area at the Leazes End of the stadium, the full Longstaff family had done a quick intake of breath when Kieran Trippier sent their boy galloping through, five minutes into the second half.
He shot first time, low and with power, catching Gianluigi Donnarumma by surprise and the ball skidded off the underside of the Italian goalkeeper’s right arm and spun back up to crash into the roof of the PSG net. Longstaff sprinted to a corner flag in joy, punching the air as he ran, Eddie Howe, the Newcastle head coach, sank into a ball of delight, and in that executive box, they hollered along with 50,000 fans.
“It’s very difficult to put into words just how it feels to see your son score for your team in the Champions League at St James’ Park,� his father, David, said. “You’re just so emotional. We were all there together, and you’re just like, ‘Go on!’ when he got the chance.�
Among those at St James’ Park on Wednesday night was Gareth Southgate. Longstaff did not make the England squad for the forthcoming games with Australia and Italy, announced on Thursday afternoon, but he has form and goals and is playing now at the highest level that club football can offer. That will not harm any future chances, as the clock ticks on Jordan Henderson’s time as an international footballer and Kalvin Phillips struggles desperately for minutes. England are not exactly overstocked with clever, relentless midfield players.
Longstaff turns 26 this month. There have been sliding-door moments, like the interest Everton showed in him during the transfer window of 2022, just after Howe had taken over at Newcastle, or the moment his dad, who was capped 100 times for Great Britain in ice hockey, asked him what was wrong and he broke down in tears. That was less than two years ago. From there to here has taken some doing.
“We went upstairs at mine and he looked at me like a dad who wanted to know what was wrong,� Longstaff told The Times of the moment in January 2022. “When he did that, I remember breaking down in front of him, bursting into tears. I was in a pretty bad way. My dad just grabbed me and said how proud he was of me.�
Dad had been there at Sean’s debut for Newcastle, at Liverpool, in 2018, when Rafa BenÃ*tez was in charge at the club; he came on as a substitute. “Even running on I just remember thinking, ‘Don’t fall over,’ or ‘I hope my pants don’t fall down,’ â€� Sean, who was born in North Shields, said.
He was 21 and blossomed under BenÃ*tez but then injury came and a difficult spell followed when Steve Bruce was in charge. “Me being from Newcastle, growing up [there] and going to watch, you would see things written or said about you and it used to kill me inside,â€� he added. “Everyone used to think I was great, and now this.â€� He spoke to a psychologist on the recommendation of team-mate Matt Ritchie.
“He told me to set little targets and everyday I still do it,� he added. “I set myself little targets and the little targets will create something much bigger.�
Longstaff is a keen fan of American sports. He was at the opening game of ice hockey’s Stanley Cup between Las Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers, and is also a big basketball fan. “If people don’t think LeBron James is good at basketball, then of course they’re going to have something bad to say about me,� he said.


It feels like the old Sean Longstaff now in terms of personality — happier with life, and playing free. Howe has praised the player’s tactical awareness. His relentlessness is key to creating space for his team-mate Bruno Guimarães. He missed the start of the season because of injury and since his return there have been five wins and one draw in six games.
Howe’s role in the rejuvenation of Longstaff cannot be overstated. There were four missed calls from Howe, who had not long since taken over as head coach, when the player was sleeping in January 2022 after two days of intense training.
“He just told me what was being said wasn’t true in terms of me going to Everton, and that I’d be staying,� Longstaff said. “He was great. For him to ring me at that time was really important. It made our relationship stronger.�
Within four months Longstaff had signed a new three-year deal. The trajectory has been upwards since. He scored twice in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup against Southampton at St James’ Park, to book Newcastle’s place in a first major cup final for 24 years in May.
His was the third goal in Wednesday’s raucous 4-1 win against PSG.
“Will anyone in Newcastle be going to work tomorrow?� he was asked pitchside when the game had finished.
“I hope not,� he replied. “If they’ve ever got an excuse not to go in it’s definitely for this.�
His mum, along with his sister, Milly, however, still did.

[ex_pat_magpie]

Great insight that Zip.

[Zippity]

I spoke to a highly rated and respected NE football coach who has spoken to Longstaff about how absolutely shite Bruce was with both him and his brother. It's no secret how close he came to quitting and it's no surprise, either.

Almost ruining Longstaff's career is just another footnote in the absolute clusterfuck that the useless areshole's career became.

[Ragatino]

Great insight that Zip.

The core of the club are Geordies.

Having Longstaff's development back on track from the amazing start he made under Rafa is delightful for 2 reasons.
1 - Having a Geordie at the heart of the midfield is magic. Reminds me of Wor Clarke
2 - Once again proves Longy is class & Cabbage head is the destroyer of careers

The overall feeling about the club nowadays is that the club is family again. The city, the fans, the club whilst I was growing up danced to the same rhythm. That connection was lost for a long, long time. Probably 2 or 3 yrs before Ashley took over the root began to set in. We all endured the previous regime and how utterly divided we were, how much hatred there was between individual fans & supporters groups.

I remember being at a match away from home. I'd flown in from Qatar to the UK. I forget which match it was but I remember sections of the away support having a go at each other. It was not the united, one for all, all for one esprit de corps of the late 1990s.

The dignity the owners have brought back to the club, having Amanda & Mehrdad running the club, bringing their kids to the game, Trippier being a good family man, The Longstaffs & so on, just reinforces that feeling that we are a family club.

A United club. Long may it continue!

[tinostongue]

The core of the club are Geordies.

Having Longstaff's development back on track from the amazing start he made under Rafa is delightful for 2 reasons.
1 - Having a Geordie at the heart of the midfield is magic. Reminds me of Wor Clarke
2 - Once again proves Longy is class & Cabbage head is the destroyer of careers

The overall feeling about the club nowadays is that the club is family again. The city, the fans, the club whilst I was growing up danced to the same rhythm. That connection was lost for a long, long time. Probably 2 or 3 yrs before Ashley took over the root began to set in. We all endured the previous regime and how utterly divided we were, how much hatred there was between individual fans & supporters groups.

I remember being at a match away from home. I'd flown in from Qatar to the UK. I forget which match it was but I remember sections of the away support having a go at each other. It was not the united, one for all, all for one esprit de corps of the late 1990s.

The dignity the owners have brought back to the club, having Amanda & Mehrdad running the club, bringing their kids to the game, Trippier being a good family man, The Longstaffs & so on, just reinforces that feeling that we are a family club.

A United club. Long may it continue!

Nicely put Rag.

[ex_pat_magpie]

I spoke to a highly rated and respected NE football coach who has spoken to Longstaff about how absolutely shite Bruce was with both him and his brother. It's no secret how close he came to quitting and it's no surprise, either.

Almost ruining Longstaff's career is just another footnote in the absolute clusterfuck that the useless areshole's career became.

As an aside but quoting Zip's above post, I can't for the life of me understand how Bruce even ever got as far as passing his coaching courses.

Apart from his failures at other clubs just look at the class players from this club with careers he almost ruined before they were rescued by the current regime.

Both Longstaff brothers, Schar, Joelinton, Murphey and several others.

[HughieG]

Almost ruining Longstaff's career is just another footnote in the absolute clusterfuck that the useless areshole's career became.

This is the funniest thing I've read for a while - thanks for that!