Newcastle United midfielder Sean Steur has insisted his early-season form is only a sign of things to come at the club. The 18-year-old has impressed in his first two starts as a holding midfielder since joining from Ajax for £23 million in the summer, but now faces a major test with Brazilian enforcer Joelinton back from a muscle injury and threatening to start games again in the Premier League.
Steur's Early Impact
Head coach Matthias Jaissle has been delighted with Steur in recent weeks, with the teenager earning man of the match against Hull City before the international break. Speaking after his duties with the Holland Under-21 side, where he played as a right-sided midfielder, Steur told reporters: "I'm just having a great time there and I can't wait to go back."
"Things are going well, but the physical aspect could be better. On the ball, everything could actually be much better. I don't think I have reached my peak yet. So I look forward to developing that."
Learning Curve at Ajax
Steur was hailed as an old head on young shoulders during a difficult season with Ajax last term, as the Dutch giants ended their campaign without a trophy. It was a difficult learning curve for the teenager, but he showed enough during Ajax's struggles to impress watching sporting director Ross Wilson.
In his short time on Tyneside, Steur has also shown incredible maturity and leadership among a young team. Now he feels he is ready to step things up and continue his development in the black and white stripes. He said: "As I just said: it can still get much better. But I am happy with how things are going so far. I need to keep this trend going, and I only need to get better."
Adapting to Life in Newcastle
Despite his tender years, Steur must get to grips with a new city and a new country, but reflected: "My parents try to be there as often as possible, but I am a bit more on my own and independent now. It is a really nice neighbourhood, with friendly people. I actually have everything I need, so I can't complain."
Significantly, Steur's star man showing against Hull came after the Magpies lost 4-1 at Leeds on a night in which he made a mistake but still impressed by shrugging off the error. His manager Jaissle said: "He showed that after a match (Leeds) where he was not on his highest level, where he got a lot of criticism. We are emotionally stable. We gave him and the other lads all the confidence and support they needed. Then, when he shows up like this, it is really special."
"It (Steur's performance) is not normal in football, so I am really pleased. But, on the other hand, it also shows that we have a young, young squad, and they need to adapt to the physicality of the league."
