Ex-NUFC defender Steven Taylor is tipping Sean Longstaff to break into Rafa Benitez’s first-team plans ‘soon’ – believing he is a midfielder with a real eye for goal who has ‘shown his class’ when training and playing with the senior squad.
The local lad enjoyed a successful loan spell with Blackpool last season, managing 9 goals and 6 assists from midfield and earning a place in Rafa’s pre-season plans as a result.
He’s since been back in action for our U-23’s this season, recently being described as looking a ‘class above’ the rest during his latest display against Stoke this week, however it’s fair to say a player of his potential should be playing consistently at senior level.
Here’s what he’s had to say about the talented 21-year-old during an exclusive interview with TribalFootball.com.
“He had a great season with Blackpool and it shows in the way he plays. He’s got an eye for goal and he scored a couple of screamers last season,”
“He’s training and playing with quality players, he’s getting some great experience and he shows his class. Hopefully he keeps it up and he’ll break into the squad soon.”
With the FA now looking to cut down the current foreign player quota in a bid to promote the development of homegrown players, there’s never been a better time to have talented Brits in your squad – and Sean Longstaff is definitely one of them.
He’s not the only one either, with Callum Roberts also looking the part at U-23 level this season; bagging 10 goals and 7 assists already this year.
It’s tough to say, but I think Taylor could be right about Longstaff in time. He looks a genuine talent, however it’s now up to us to give him the platform to kick and show what he’s capable of – whether that be giving him cameo performances from the bench, start in the cup or a loan move out to a decent Football League side who’ll start him every week.