'No doubts' - Sean Steur makes honest admission about limited Newcastle United game-time
Newcastle United midfielder Sean Steur has addressed his lack of starts for the club in recent matches.
Sean Steur has ‘no doubts’ about his role at Newcastle United following his £23million summer transfer from Ajax.
The 18-year-old impressed in pre-season and started the opening day 2-2 draw against Liverpool and 3-2 Carabao Cup win over West Bromwich Albion back in August. He returned to the starting line-up with a 2-1 win over Hull City in September, putting in an individual performance head coach Matthias Jaissle hailed as ‘exceptional’.
Yet after that match he was an unused substitute for the following two games before being a late substitute in the three that followed before eventually returning to Newcastle’s midfield in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham.
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Steur was withdrawn midway through the second half with the score still goalless. The teenager is still yet to complete 90 minutes for the club, but Jaissle is pleased with his progress as he continues to adapt to Premier League football.
“He's fine, but he felt also that the physicality is not 100% there,” Jaissle said. “That's something I mentioned already before, this is normal, if you sign a young lad, he needs to get used to that, but he did an amazing job. So, again, also something to build on.”
Steur how now joined up with the Netherlands Under-21s squad for the November international break, where he was asked directly about his limited gametime at Newcastle over the past couple of months.
“No [not concerned], I think last period I played a lot, now I played a little less,” Steur told the Dutch media.
“The last match I did play in the starting lineup again. But I wasn’t necessarily very worried. I just think, I assumed that I would be here. I don’t think too much about it or anything. But I haven’t really had any contact with anyone here [Netherlands U21s].”
Trusting the process at NUFC
And Steur remains comfortable with his role at Newcastle as he looks to keep his place in the side for the match against Arsenal at St James’ Park following the international break.
“No, never doubt, sometimes that you play a little less just belongs to the process, belongs to the club you are in,” he added. “Yeah, it’s just a task to then make sure that you come in as quickly as possible and with the minutes and chances that you get, do as well as possible.
“But no, no doubts. I still feel very much in my place there. I’m just calm. It can be fun, but I’m just calm in the sense of, yeah, just trust in yourself and your opportunity will come anyway.
“Yeah, just don’t panic quickly, I would say. I don’t really overthink about if you play one match less well that you’re then directly [out]. Of course I want to play. Every player wants to play every minute. But there is no reason to panic if that doesn’t happen.”
Steur has already made a positive first impression on the Newcastle supporters as one of the standout signings of the summer. He is also the only young player signed prior to Jaissle’s arrival to have started a Premier League match this season with Ewen Jaouen, Aladji Bamba and Bazoumana Toure still waiting to make their full Premier League debuts for the club.