“Not normal” - Sean Steur wows Matthias Jaissle after Newcastle display

Matthias Jaissle has piled praise on Sean Steur after his outstanding performance in Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Hull City on Saturday.

The Dutch midfielder was one of the standout performers at St James’ Park, giving Newcastle control in the middle of the pitch and showing exactly why the club invested £23m in his potential.

Jaissle hails ‘exceptional’ Steur display

Jaissle was delighted with Steur’s response after the 18-year-old came in for criticism following last Monday’s 4-1 defeat at Leeds, praising the mentality he showed to bounce back in such a big way.

“He [Steur] was exceptional. It was the kind of performance you would want from a really experienced, old player, but he is so young.

“He showed that after a match 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 need. Then, when he shows up like this, it is really special.”

Jaissle also stressed that Steur’s performance was “not normal” for such a young player, while identifying the next challenge for him; building his fitness so he can last the full 90.

“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.

“You need to get to a position where you can perform like this over 90 minutes, plus additional time. That will be the next step for the upcoming weeks and months.”

A £23m bargain with elite potential 

For me, this is exactly why Newcastle agreed a deal worth £23m for Steur.

There were clear flashes of his quality and composure before Saturday, but this was the first time we really saw him take control of a Premier League game. He gave us so much composure and control in midfield, constantly looking to receive the ball and drive the team forward, while also joining our press. 

What stood out most was how much Newcastle missed him once he was taken off. Hull suddenly had more of the game, we lost our rhythm and control, and struggled to get back on the front foot.

That shouldn’t be overlooked when assessing Steur’s performance. He wasn’t just putting in impressive numbers or producing a few nice touches; his presence actually changed how Newcastle played.

He is still incredibly young and, as Jaissle rightly points out, he needs to learn how to produce this level of performance consistently for 90 minutes in the physicality of English football.

But if Saturday was a glimpse of what Steur can become, we may have an elite talent on our hands, and a £23m bargain to boot.