After breaking through into the first-team last season, Sean Longstaff has become a permanent fixture in the Newcastle squad this year. The 22-year-old has featured 21 times in the Premier League alone, and looks set to be a key part of the Magpies midfield over the coming seasons. But having been given his first opportunity by Rafa Benitez, Longstaff may face the prospect of having to work under a third different Newcastle manager should Steve Bruce leave the club this summer. THINK YOU’RE A BIG MAGPIES FAN? CAN YOU NAME THESE FORMER PLAYERS BY LOOKING AT THEIR CAREERS? GO ON, GIVE IT A GO… WORLD CLASS SCORE: 95% | EXPERT SCORE: 80% | VETERAN SCORE: 65% | INTERMEDIATE SCORE: 45% | AMATEUR SCORE: 30% | TRY AGAIN: 5% Reports have suggested that with the club on the verge of takeover, Bruce could be one of the first to go as the new owners look to bring in a man of their own. Despite that, Longstaff has leapt to his manager’s defence, and insisted that he deserves the chance to prove himself. Speaking on The Epic podcast (as quoted by The Chronicle), he said: “From the moment he came, in China, at the start of this season, he’s been brilliant. “There have been times where for me personally I’ve wanted to play, he’s left me out and I’ve asked the question (why) and he’s been brutally honest with me. If you look at the team this year, we’ve been pretty successful I think – a lot of people wrote us off at the start, and I think it would be unfair if you didn’t give him the chance to carry on the work that he has started to put into place.” And after hearing what Longstaff had to say, Newcastle fans flooded to Twitter to share their reactions. maybe get your form back first and your brother on side. Let an actual sporting director with real money make the call. So we can like I dunno.. be successful for a change…. — Cryteareons Collection (@icharliehunter) May 30, 2020 He could be saying that just so he gets a game if the takeover falls through. — Callum Kitson (@callumkitson) May 30, 2020 Let your feet do the talking Sean lad! — Dan (@DanHeths84) May 30, 2020 A couple of Magpies supporters seemed unsurprised that Longstaff was “toeing the party line”, and suggested that Bruce is having a negative effect on him. Oh, is it because he along with the rest get 4 days off if they win a game as a reward? Course he wants Bruce to stay and be given a chance. Not to mention that a proper manager/coach would see him and the rest as canny average players and would be looking to upgrade the majority — Delboy E (@dedwards1892) May 30, 2020 Another player toeing the party line. Bit of a coincidence that his form dropped right off after the departure of Rafa. Rafa took him under his wing and worked with him, Bruce however probably trashed his career with his poor training methods and lazy approach. — Richard Thornton (@richthestag) May 30, 2020 One Magpies fan raised the prospect of the players potentially knowing more information about the takeover and what that could mean, and wondered whether because he “sounds obviously confident”, he knows that Bruce may be staying on. Do you reckon the players know something, he sounds obviously confident — jamie leadbitter (@LeadbitterJamie) May 30, 2020 A couple of supporters just urged the club to get rid of Longstaff, with one fan claiming that his comments showed “he clearly has no ambition”. Get rid of him aswell when the new owners come in he clearly has no ambition keep Matty though — GeordieND (@ND46009184) May 30, 2020 That’s it. Get rid. Get coutinho in. — Wor Geordie (@1ofEurons_mutes) May 30, 2020 It certainly seems a bit harsh for a few Magpies fans to call on the club to get rid of Longstaff, and his backing of Bruce is hardly surprising. But under a manager like Mauricio Pochettino who helped develop the likes of Dele Alli at Tottenham, Newcastle supporters could be seeing the very best of Longstaff in the near future. #SeanLongstaff #SteveBruce #PremierLeague
