RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Dan Burn joined Newcastle United from Brighton in January, 2022 [Getty Images]
Dan Burn had only been away from Newcastle United's training ground for a few months.
But the England defender felt like he had joined a new club when he returned following his post-World Cup break.
"I'm still learning names to be honest," he said.
Understandably so.
It has been another turbulent summer on Tyneside following the departures of manager Eddie Howe and influential figures Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
Head coach Matthias Jaissle has brought half a dozen members of staff with him, while Burn has also been getting to know a handful of new team-mates in Lukas Hornicek, Ewen Jaouen, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur and Bazoumana Toure.
That is before even mentioning the impending arrival of right-back Amar Dedic from Benfica.
However, rather than hunkering down for a season of struggle, as some pundits have predicted, Burn has his sights set on leading Newcastle back into Europe as the club's new captain.
"We've always done well as a team when we have that thing where it's us against the world," he said after Newcastle drew 1-1 against Strasbourg in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.
"I feel like we were always written off a little bit. We always seem to be backs against the wall fighting.
"For me, that's when we play at our best, when we've got that underdog mentality, so hopefully we will kick on."
'People feared us and didn't want to play against us'
It will clearly take time.
Burn needs no reminding that all of Newcastle's arrivals are 24 and under and have never played in the Premier League before.
But he wants to "embrace the change" as he looks to help the new signings quickly realise what it means to play for the club.
"Right now, can you tell if someone is going to be the next Bruno?" he said. "Maybe not, but I think there's definitely ability there."
Jaissle has repeatedly used the word "transition" since taking charge and said the vocal Burn will be "vital in helping guide our younger players through this period of change".
It will fall to Burn and the club's other senior players to push those around them, knowing full well the standards which were set when the club qualified for the Champions League and ended a 70-year wait to win a major domestic trophy by lifting the EFL Cup.
Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League last season, but were previously a ferocious and spiky side to play against at their best under Howe.
Burn, however, suggested they were "not allowed to" tap into the dark arts anymore.
"It seemed everything we did was stopped in the Premier League in the season after," he said of various rule changes.
"It's more a mentality. Not that we ever tried to hurt people, but everyone said that. People feared us and didn't want to play against us. I'd love for us to have a bit of that.
"All the best teams seem to. If that's going to help us, I'd love to do that but I'd be surprised if the Premier League allowed us to."
The top flight will get the first glimpse of this new-look side when Newcastle face Liverpool at St James' Park next week (Sunday, 16:30 BST).
It is set to be an emotional afternoon as the stadium pays tribute to the late Kevin Keegan, one of the most transformational figures in Newcastle's history, who also represented Liverpool as a player.
Burn had lunch with Keegan at the end of May - following an invitation from Newcastle's former manager - and said he was a "great person to be around".
"I don't think we need any motivation," he said. "Either us or the city."
Newcastle progressing with move for Benfica defender Dedic
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