Sean Steur selection questioned after impressive Newcastle United start

Sean Steur’s failure to start for the Netherlands Under-21s has been questioned in the Dutch media following the Newcastle United midfielder’s impressive recent form.

Steur made his Jong Oranje debut from the bench during a 0-0 draw against Norway last week. The youngster refused to make too much of the milestone afterwards, insisting his attention was already on what comes next.

“Making my debut is nice, but that’s not really what’s on my mind right now,” Steur told Sportnieuws.

However, Dutch journalists Valentijn Driessen and Mike Verweij were surprised that Netherlands U21 manager Michael Reiziger did not select Steur from the beginning.

The decision was particularly notable because the Newcastle midfielder had entered the international break after receiving a standing ovation for his recent club performance.

Speaking on De Telegraaf’s Kick Off podcast, Driessen criticised the Netherlands’ display against Norway and questioned several of Reiziger’s selections.

“What I also found striking was that Sean Steur – who is making an excellent impression at Newcastle United and was substituted to a standing ovation just three or four days before the U21 match – simply didn’t start,” Driessen said.

“Some of Reiziger’s choices are baffling.”

Verweij agreed and pointed towards previous selection decisions made by the Netherlands U21 manager, including his handling of Mexx Meerdink and Luciano Valente.

The criticism creates an interesting contrast with Reiziger’s own recent assessment of Steur.

Despite leaving him out of the starting XI against Norway, Reiziger has publicly praised the qualities that make Steur such an exciting prospect.

“Sean is the kind of player you don’t see very often,” he said last week.

“He reads the game, is composed on the ball, and can really take charge of the game.”

Reiziger had already watched Steur display those qualities during his time at Ajax, highlighting the midfielder’s ability to organise teammates and manipulate space.

“He would direct other players, knowing that if they stood in a certain spot, it would free him up elsewhere,” Reiziger explained. “Seeing him orchestrate things like that is wonderful to watch.”

Those comments make Steur’s substitute role against Norway more surprising to some observers.

The Newcastle youngster has now made his Netherlands U21 debut, but after earning praise at club level and receiving such a glowing assessment from his international manager, the pressure for him to receive a bigger role appears to be growing.

Steur’s next challenge is turning his first Netherlands U21 appearance into a regular place in Reiziger’s starting XI.

The interesting element is that the manager already appears convinced by his ability. Reiziger’s previous comments suggest there is little doubt about Steur’s technical and tactical qualities, leaving his selection decisions under greater scrutiny if the midfielder continues performing well for Newcastle.

For Newcastle, the discussion in the Netherlands is another indication of how quickly Steur’s reputation is developing. If his club form continues, calls for a larger international role are unlikely to disappear.