Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle has expressed confidence in 18-year-old Dutch midfielder Sean Steur despite the teenager’s costly error during Monday’s 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road. Steur, who entered the match as a substitute in the 19th minute, was at fault for a misplaced pass that led to Leeds’s second goal in the 34th minute. Following the game, Steur issued a public apology to Newcastle fans on social media.
Jaissle, however, emphasized that the apology was unnecessary and praised Steur’s composure and maturity. “He is apologising because he showed up as a young lad,” Jaissle said. “I remember there were already games where everyone was celebrating him for his attitude, for his maturity at 18. And this is exactly the thing where I tell him mistakes can happen.”
The manager highlighted Steur’s response after the error, noting that the midfielder remained resilient while some of his teammates struggled. “Not a single doubt on him. He has shown pure quality at such a young age, how he responds. He still asks for the balls afterwards, so he’s not hiding, and this is the right approach,” Jaissle added. He also assured that the coaching staff and fans would continue to support the young player.
Looking ahead to Newcastle’s upcoming match against Hull City, Jaissle confirmed that several senior players—including Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, and Nico Gonzalez—are expected to be sidelined. He expressed no reservations about fielding a youthful lineup, stating, “We trust them, and this is our approach. As I said four weeks, five weeks ago, it’s a brave journey the club is going on and I’m fully committed.”
Jaissle acknowledged the challenges the team faces but reiterated his belief in their long-term vision. “If there is one setback, we shouldn’t delete our journey or our vision. No, we believe and we are fully aligned,” he said. “We anticipated that something like that against Leeds would happen, or will happen also in the next months. Then it’s just on us to respond, but still believing. We don’t change it.”
The Newcastle manager also discussed his tactical philosophy of “vertical football,” which includes a willingness to adapt attacking strategies depending on the situation. “It could be that you go for the long ball, don’t try to play out from the keeper, just go for aerial duels. But it could be also that you have just the intention to try to find the deepest option,” Jaissle explained. “Then the players’ mindset is always – after collecting a second ball, after winning the ball – that the first view must be deep.”