10 August 2023 , 06:00
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Sean Longstaff has warned rivals will want to “tear down” Newcastle this season - as a behind the scenes documentary is set to divide football fans.
The Geordie midfielder says the club is prepared for a backlash on and off the pitch after their fourth placed finish clinched Champions League football. Prime Video will broadcast behind the scenes footage from last season on Thursday in a four-part expose.
It included Saudi PIF business chief Yasir Al Rumayyan saying he wants to be “No1” and denying he has any influence over the day to day running of the club, as he is portrayed as one of the saviours of the club. Part-owner Amanda Staveley is filmed negotiating the £40m signing of Anthony Gordon as a staff member says that Yasir “loves” Anthony.
It also captured Eddie Howe swearing twice during a team talk as he pre match quotes from Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag about Newcastle to rev up his players… before the Geordies win the game 2-0.
Longstaff said: “The more successful you are, the more people want to tear you down. Inside the club and the team, we’re as tight as you can be. We don’t let anything in. Even on the first day back, that was the manager’s big message - we have to stick together. If it doesn’t go as smoothly as last year, we have to stick together, and we know we’ve got a good enough squad to come out of it.
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On the clip of Howe’s swearing, Longstaff said: “I think they found the only time he swore! We were all laughing about that. The Amazon people were really good, all very friendly. It wasn’t like they were following us around . Obviously, I’m just a little fish. I am probably not that interesting. I tried to get on. Was thinking “am I ever going to get on this thing?!”
In fact Longstaff’s testimony is among the most emotional, telling how he scores crucial Carabao Cup goals, his first at St James’ Park for four years.
So tight is the team bond ahead of the big kick off that Longstaff revealed: “A lot of us went on holiday together in the summer, so we’re with each other a lot. When we got back and had a couple of weeks apart, everyone hated it!
“So we couldn’t wait to get back. There was me, Nick Pope, Paul Dummett, Mark Gillespie, Matt Targett, Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Loris Karius. We went to Las Vegas. Just as well the film crew didn’t follow us there…”
The North Shields lad was brilliant last year, but now has £55m Sandro Tonali and academy kid Lewis Miley competing in his right sided midfield position. He has missed the pre-season games after a small injury in his abductor and said: “I did the injury on the first day, so I had a canny holiday!
“I didn’t train with the team but got a lot of fitness work in, which was tough in the warm weather. Playing in the USA has been a lot different to the pre-seasons in York a few years ago…But we’re trying to expand the club and get it recognised globally, as it should be.
"The club is doing a good job of that at the moment and it’s only going to get bigger and better. It’s great to be a part of.”