Newcastle United are having a great season so far despite what some in the media may tell you, but Sean Longstaff thinks that one player has stood out.
Longstaff has heaped praise on Lewis Miley who has recently emerged as a top talent in Newcastle’s first team, and the 26-year-old claims that he saw this coming a while ago.
In an interview with the club, Longstaff revealed how he’d been watching Miley play for the Under-18s and instantly saw the talent that he possessed.
Longstaff says Miley was ready made for Newcastle
Longstaff, along with a handful of his teammates, is often watching academy games in his spare time and it really shows how dedicated he is to the club and its players.
The midfielder had been a spectator for a lot of the Under-18 games and claims that Miley was a standout player in the team, suggesting that you could instantly tell that his stature and style of play would be suited to the Premier League.
At 6ft 2, Miley is taller than most 17-years-old and is physical enough to compete with the best in the division, though he still has room to fill out and become an even more athletic midfielder.
Longstaff looked back to when he was 16 at Newcastle and claimed that Miley was so much more confident than he ever was at that age, and that is really showing on the pitch.
In the interview, Longstaff said: “I think I remember just watching him in academy games. Probably for the under-18’s. I used to go down and watch on a Saturday and instantly you took to him. He is a good size, so you notice him and then you realise that he can play as well.
“I remember one of the first session he came up [to train with the first team], he would have been 16. I remember being 16 and being so nervous but he’s just a really nice lad and he lets his football do the talking and he has gained everyone’s respect in that way.
“He’s not loud about it or arrogant with it for how good he is, he could easily be the other way, but fortunately for us he’s not.
“And it’s great to watch him play and you forget how young he is at 17, it’s pretty scary how good he is.”
Newcastle hope Miley can be the first of many local stars
Newcastle’s long-term plan naturally involves a lot of investment into the first-team squad, but there has also been a huge emphasis placed on improving the academy to bring through more young talents like Miley and Longstaff.
Sporting director Dan Ashworth has played a huge part in this project after arriving in 2022, though it now looks like the former Brighton man may be tempted to leave to join Manchester United.
Regardless, the objectives of the club remain the same and we could start to see more young players graduate into the first team in the next five to 10 years if all goes to plan.
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