‘Aggressive, intense, attack-minded’ – Newcastle fans will love Matthias Jaissle

There is no predetermined path to the top of the football managerial ladder. But most would need more on their CV than Austrian and Saudi clubs to get the chance to lead Newcastle United. At 38, Matthias Jaissle is the ultimate gamble after the success of steady Eddie Howe, regardless of his football upbringing. It is therefore even easier to write off the chances of a man who isn’t overly keen on the Julian Nagelsmann 2.0 claims before his reign has even begun. Had Newcastle possessed non-Middle Eastern owners, Jaissle would not even come into the conversation. Now he is talk of the Toon, there’s more to be said about his career accomplishments than the naysayers care to realise. “As we look to grow as a league in the eyes of the world, with younger players coming in instead of stars perhaps past their best, we are sad to be losing Matze [Jaissle],” one Saudi Pro League official tells The i Paper. “What he achieved here is special. To take a team who had just been relegated all the way to the top of the continent is not easy to do, no matter where you are in the world. “It is easy to think he might not be a success at Newcastle, it is a difficult job, but don’t diminish what he achieved here.” Jaissle has managed Al-Ahli, Salzburg and Liefering (Photo: Getty) Back-to-back Asian Champions League justified the bold move to leave Red Bull Salzburg for Al Ahli in 2023 for Jaissle, just as he was starting to turn heads closer to home. Al Ahli had never won Asia’s top prize in their history, but did twice under Jaissle playing an exciting brand of vertical football. The stylish, young firebrand was not averse to taking the attack to the opposition, right from the off. “His teams are attack-minded and play a more open style of football,” former Austria midfielder Zlatko Junuzovic, who played for Jaissle’s back-to-back title-winning Salzburg side, says. “They’re not afraid to take risks and want to score goals. People might like that in Newcastle. “Ralf [Rangnick] introduced that philosophy back then, but it’s not always the same. In my time, the philosophy was that we played an aggressive, intense style – attack-minded and pressing high up the pitch. “But he’s come a long way tactically since then – he’ll have gained more and more experience, and on top of that he’s enjoyed great success at his current club and has also proven that he can handle big names.” The German started his career at Hoffenheim (Photo: Getty) Jaissle is in La Manga as Newcastle embark on their pre-season training camp, where dealing with marquee names will be the first port of call, with the club battling to persuade skipper Bruno Guimaraes to stay put. But negotiating with influential figures is nothing new to Jaissle. He was given his first chance at the Red Bull school of football management, under former Manchester United boss Rangnick, that counts Nagelsmann and Jesse Marsch among its alumni. Thomas Tuchel is also an influence. The England head coach was a youth coach at Stuttgart when Jaissle started a playing career that was cut short by injury there. The pair remain close. At Salzburg, Jaissle was not overawed by being handed the reins at such a high profile club, at the behest of Rangnick. And they have not been crowned champions since Jaissle left for Saudi Arabia in 2023. “Matthias was generally quite open and easy-going,” Junuzovic continues. “But when the time was right he could also get angry or become more demanding, especially if someone wasn’t pulling their weight. Success was the most important thing for him, and that’s how he acted. “His young age was never an issue – we’re used to that in Salzburg. He was great to chat to, partly because of his age, as we were on the same wavelength when it came to certain topics. He’s good at managing things. Newcastle players will be able to associate with him more than someone from a different era. “I always thought he could go on to have a good career, as he’s very determined and focused. He can cope with the pressure. The last few years have done him a world of good.” Read more Exclusive: Newcastle reject Arsenal’s first official bid for Bruno Guimaraes Explained: Why Eddie Howe left Newcastle – and what it means for Bruno Guimaraes’ future Success is infectious. Jaissle has known nothing else. Newcastle will be the biggest challenge of his life, but those who know him best believe he is more than capable of handling it. “Of course, in Europe, people think it is an easy ride over here,” the Saudi official adds. “But the pressure is enormous. When clubs spend on big players, supporters expect success quickly. “Jaissle had to handle an influx of big names and guide a newly-promoted club back to its former glories. It could not have gone any better. If he can handle that, he can be a success in the English Premier League, too.”