They weren’t laughing at the time, as their manager Eddie Howe let rip with an expletive-fuelled rallying cry in the dressing-room, but Newcastle’s players have certainly enjoyed the moment being portrayed by the Amazon cameras in the club’s new documentary.
It was before the home game against Manchester United in April that the head coach used Erik ten Hag’s comments about his team trying to slow the game down as motivation for his pre-match speech.
‘If they want a quick game coming here, let’s f***ing give it to them,’ said Howe, whose side would win 2-0. ’Let’s blow them away with our running. Let’s be intense with every action we do. Let’s make it a quick game. Let’s go!’
Howe admits he would prefer the cameras weren’t there, but midfielder Sean Longstaff said: ‘We were speaking about that clip, and I think they found the only time the manager swore all season! We were all laughing about that. But we are lucky now that we have one of the best managers in the world, and I will always be grateful to him for what he has done for me and the rest of the lads.
‘You can see in the clips how he wants us to play. Before Man United, it’s not as if we needed any more motivation, but he always seems to tick the right boxes and presses the right buttons to get the very best out of us.
Sean Longstaff believes Amazon crews managed to capture the only time Eddie Howe swore all season
Howe used Erik ten Hag’s disparaging comments about his ‘annoying’ Newcastle United team to fire up his players
Howe took exception to Ten Hag’s remarks in February that Newcastle liked to slow games
‘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.’
The four-part series, as well as Newcastle’s recent tour of the United States, are examples of the changing face of the club under Saudi-led ownership. So, too, was the glitzy premiere of ‘We are Newcastle United’ on Tyneside, from which Longstaff is talking to us.
‘Nights like this and tours of America are a far cry from where we were a few years ago, spending our pre-seasons in York,’ he said. ‘As we’re more successful on the pitch, that will help everything else grow. We’re trying to expand the club and get it recognised globally, as it should be.’
There was one story that, sadly for the viewer, did not feature.
‘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 – we couldn’t wait to get back training!’ said Longstaff.
‘We went to Las Vegas – me, Nick Pope, Paul Dummett, Mark Gillespie, Matt Targett, Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, Loris Karius… just as well the film crew didn’t follow us there!’
He added: ’But the makers (of the documentary) were really good. We didn’t notice them as much as we thought we would. The crew felt like part of the team come the end – they were in giving us handshakes after we’d won, it was a bit weird! I’m just hoping we all come across OK!
‘But I’m just a little fish, so they weren’t really following me around. I’ll leave that to Popey (Nick Pope) and Tripps (Kieran Trippier). I just got to glide by. At one point I was thinking, “Am I ever going to get on this thing?”.’
Longstaff admitted that the crews following the Magpies felt like a part of the team by the end of the season
The midfielder scored twice in the Carabao Cup semi-final to send Newcastle to the final
When Longstaff scored two goals in the Carabao Cup semi-final, taking them to Wembley, he got his wish. As that moment was relived on the big screen, fans inside the Tyneside Cinema – including Jimmy Nail – serenaded Longstaff with the ‘one of our own’ tribute as he sat with Howe, the owners and the rest of the squad on the balcony above.
But this summer has seen the emergence of another local hero, 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley. Given the club’s marquee signing was also a midfielder, £52million Italy international Sandro Tonali, Longstaff knows his starting spot is under threat.
‘I’m just as worried about Lewis!’ said Longstaff when asked about Tonali’s arrival. ‘Honestly, he is just unbelievable. He came with us to Saudi (in December) and I remember thinking he was 16 at the time, and it was unbelievable how good he was.
‘I texted him in the summer saying just make sure you come back fit and ready to go. He said, “I will do”, and I could wax lyrical about him all day. I just think Lew is one of the best I have seen from the academy in a long time. It is just a pity he’s in my position!’
Longstaff is aware his place in the side is under threat following the arrival of £52m signing Sandro Tonali
Lewis Miley was the story of Newcastle’s pre-season preparations after a string of impressive performances
Newcastle went on to beat United in the league after Howe’s words to avenge the cup final loss
The documentary did not hide the club’s ambition to be the best in the world, and chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan declared that they have to be ‘number one’.
Longstaff said: ‘Last year, getting to the cup final and qualifying for the Champions League, gave us that foundation. There have been some top, top players who have been at this club, who were never able to win a trophy. So, if we can do it, we will be in the history books forever. That is the motivation.’
If they do get close to that day, it will probably mean another documentary – and the prospect of that should be enough to make Howe swear.
We Are Newcastle United launches on Prime Video with the first episode on Friday August 11, followed by new episodes every Friday through to September 1.
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