There is a phrase used by Sean Longstaff and his brother, Matty, to encapsulate the volatile world of professional football; an environment in which a player's stock can rocket or plummet in an instant, where public perception can shift in a flash. Sean, the eldest of the two brothers and a staple in Newcastle United's midfield of late, laughs as their mantra is put to him as a question. What have you done for me lately?
"That's a saying we use a lot," he replies. "I'm not sure. I feel like I've carried on what I've been doing in training, what I've been doing in pre-season, carrying out the plan. We want to be front-foot, aggressive, and I think that suits my strengths in being able to get around the pitch.
"With us having a bit more of the ball, there's things I can improve on and I'm working hard on that. But I think the way the manager wants to play really suits me as a footballer. I think the more I play, the more I can be effective in this team, and that can only be better for everyone."
The Magpies begin this weekend in the Premier League's top four and their blistering recent run of four wins in five games, with 12 goals scored along the way, has taken them there. Longstaff has been a common denominator – albeit an unsung, under-the-radar one – in those five games, playing every minute and delivering a goal and an assist from the right side of a midfield three.
His last few years have been stop-start but this month has been electric. How close are we to seeing the best of him? "I'm not sure. You'd have to ask other people about that. I'm just trying to be me," he says. "I have a close support network and I speak to them a lot. If they're happy with me and the staff and manager are happy with me, then that's good enough for me. As a footballer, you're never going to please everyone.
"People are always going to have opinions. That's just life. You've got to get on with it. The more I play in this team, the more I can try and get some goals and assists, and hopefully that will correlate with some good performances and wins for the team. As long as we're winning, I think everyone's happy."
Celebrating after scoring in the 4-1 win at Fulham earlier this month
In a moment of self-analysis, Longstaff admits it has been a "really positive" start to the campaign for him. He returned for pre-season in fine shape and ready for what he describes as daily "battles" in training. That intensity, born of Eddie Howe's methods, "makes the games easier, in some ways," he adds. In turn, the head coach has praised Longstaff. "I really love him athletically - he gets around the pitch brilliantly, up and down, and you can see the ground that he covers every week - incredible distances," said Howe last week. "But he's also got a creative eye around the box and he's been integral to some really good play on that right-hand side of the pitch."
Longstaff turns 25 on Sunday and, with over 150 senior games to his name, he is no longer of an age where his youth can act as a concession in these unforgiving surroundings. There are sections of supporters who aren't sold on his talent but he says he is now better equipped to handle the peaks and troughs, the praise and the criticism, than he was when he was thrust into a struggling United team for the first time four years ago.
"You get to a certain age and stop worrying what everyone else thinks," he shrugs. "Working with people outside of football, and listening to different things and different messages, has helped with that. Some of the things I've heard just from reading and stuff, and it's helped me with that massively."
Last season, in these pages, he revealed that he had sought the advice of a psychologist after a particularly troubling period. They still work together; Longstaff feels the benefits and sees no need to stop. He says he also looks to other sports and athletes in search of betterment and to take inspiration from areas "broader than just football". He has been listening to the audiobook of Relentless – a book by Michael Jordan’s old trainer Tim Grover – in his car.
His work on himself seems to be paying off. He chuckles at the slightly misleading nature of the assist he recorded in the win at Tottenham last Sunday. His header out on the right was picked up by Miguel Almirón, who slalomed into the box and finished. "I put it on a plate for Miggy, didn't I? He hardly had to do anything," he jokes. "He had a tap-in, didn't he?!"
Does Longstaff feel deserving of this recent upturn in fortune? "Maybe. In football you create your own luck. If you work hard, you're going to get the rewards at some point. It might not happen straight away but it will as long as you know that, consistently, you're doing the right things, on and off the pitch, you're doing everything you can to make you the best footballer you can be. The manager and staff are going to help you with that too. And everything culminates into that.
"I'm really enjoying playing, but I know football can change quickly. I've got to make sure I'm still at it every day in training, still improving, to try and keep the shirt."
In action during Saturday's 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at St. James' Park
The three managers who have played him at Newcastle – Rafa Benítez, Steve Bruce and Howe – have all lauded his work ethic. Longstaff sees that as more of a minimum requirement than something worthy of praise.
"It's just a given, isn't it? Especially being from the North East. You know the supporters are exactly the same. They work so hard for their money, to get the money to come to games, so if players aren't doing the same it's not right," he explains. "Being from up here, it all correlates, doesn't it? You see your parents and your family, and you see how hard they work. It's been instilled in us as little kids, really. To be the best player you can be, and the best person you can be, you have to make sure you're working really hard."
In that interview with UNITED a year ago, Longstaff opened up about what in part led him to seek support from the psychologist. He had broken down in tears one morning after having breakfast in Tynemouth with Matty and their father, David. He spoke of being in a "spiral" and the need to make changes. Now, with the passing of time, he reflects on those days somewhat philosophically.
"Everything's a journey, isn't it? It's all part of my journey," he says. "The best thing for me is that it happened when I was still so young – it happened at 22, 23 – and I'm out of that now. I'm in a great place, on the pitch and off the pitch. I'm in a really happy place. I think it's shown on the pitch.
"It helps sometimes when there's a new manager coming in, there's a different way of playing and you take to it straight away, and you love being part of that. That helps. I feel like I'm in such a great place and when you're in that place, mentally and physically, and everything's going well, you're much happier. People always hear me laughing around the training ground now, just trying to bring positive energy."
He says that laughter and lightness feels natural, not forced. "I think it's the best way to be, happy and laughing. It makes it easier with the group we've got. It's the best group I've been involved in in football. Other lads have said it in the changing room and we speak about how good the group is every day. You could be sat with different people in different times in the day and you're going to have just as much of a laugh with everyone.
“I think that’s a big strength of the team. Everyone looks forward to coming in, to training, to even have breakfast together, and dinner as well. We had a couple of days off this week and lads were texting each other, saying that we’re all missing each other."
"I feel like I'm in such a great place and when you're in that place, mentally and physically, and everything's going well, you're much happier. People always hear me laughing around the training ground now, just trying to bring positive energy."
Much of that spirit can be traced back to Howe’s appointment last year. He has seen potential in Longstaff, who was handed a new contract earlier in May, and it seems like the former Bournemouth boss is steadily coaxing it out of him. Ahead of the win over Everton last week, Joe Willock told of the "clarity" Howe provides and Longstaff nods at his teammate's take. "It's been massive. It's one of the biggest reasons for our performances," he says. "You know the job that's being asked of you, you know the job that's needed from you, and it's pretty simple – you're going to do this, and if you don't do it, its your fault for not doing it.
"The manager and staff leave nothing to be discovered. 'What am I doing here? What am I doing there? What am I doing in this situation?' He has everything covered, and it's pretty easy to play in a team where you know exactly what your job is. Because everyone does know they're jobs, we're much more of a team and much more of a unit. You can tell on the pitch with the way we're pressing, with the ball and without the ball, everyone's on the same page. It's made for a really exciting start to the season."
Longstaff continues. "I'm lucky to play for Newcastle. Being from here, I'm so lucky to do what I do. But especially at the minute, with how it had been for such a period of time, and to be in a predicament (like I was) – I had a year left on my contract, and you never know what's going to happen in life.
"Then suddenly a new manager comes in, and his staff, and you take to them straight away and you start getting swayed in one direction. Obviously with the takeover happening and stuff, it's just a no-brainer to still be here. The way the manager wants to play suits my style and characteristics, and I feel as though when I do play, I can show what I can do in the team."
Much was made of United's slightly aggressive brand of unity that was on display against the Toffees at St. James' Park last Wednesday, particularly during a first half flashpoint involving Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon, then Fabian Schär, who was subsequently joined by a hefty supporting cast in black and white. "One person gets in a little scuffle and then the whole team's in there," laughs Longstaff. "Everyone's together, and everyone's fighting for each other."
Not quite literally, thankfully, but it works as a figurative illustration of the closeness in the Magpies' dressing room right now. Confrontation isn't necessarily sought out but when it comes, like it did against Everton, does Longstaff enjoy it? "Sometimes. I'm more of a lover than a fighter, I'm not going to lie," he smiles. "But you're never going to leave one of the lads to fight a battle by themselves. If it's me, I'm sure there'd be other people ready to come in as well. We've got a few big lads who can probably take it if anything does ever happen. You can always be a bit chirpier when you've got the big lads coming in!"
