Career-ending injury, Ralf Rangnick influence & style of play - Meet Newcastle United’s new manager
Matthias Jaissle will be man to lead Newcastle United into a bold new chapter - but who is Eddie Howe’s successor?
The king is dead, long live the king! Sooner than Eddie Howe could pack his bags, life at Newcastle United is already moving on.
Toon chiefs are set to appoint Al-Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle as his replacement. Few people of a black-and-white persuasion had heard about the German 24 hours ago.
Strap in - as The Gazette has you covered. Here is a complete profile of the man expected to take charge at St James' Park.
Career-ending injury
Born in Nurtingen, Germany, Jaissle broke through the Hoffenheim ranks at an exciting time for the club. Now renowned as Bundesliga mainstays, that was not always the case.
Hoffenheim achieved promotion from the third division a year before Jaissle’s debut. He then played centre-back as Die Kraichgauer reached the Bundesliga the following season.
However, Jaissle’s journey soon took a turn for the worse. A devastating cruciate ligament tear in March 2009 - when he was just 22 - signalled the end of his playing career.
He soldiered on for several seasons, making a handful of appearances before calling time aged 26. Like Howe, Jaissle turned to coaching after seeing his playing career cut short.
Ralf Rangnick influence
Ralf Rangnick is perhaps his biggest influence. The German signed Jaissle at Hoffenheim - and recognised his potential as a future manager.
Regarded as a football innovator, Rangnick is known as the “Godfather of Gegenpressing” - a style English football fans will identify with Jurgen Klopp. His coaching tree includes Julian Nagelsmann, Marco Rose, Oliver Glasner and Jesse Marsch - Jaissle is the latest disciple to emerge from the production line.
Style of play
Unsurprisingly, as a product of the Red Bull system, Jaissle adopts a high-intensity, aggressive, pressing style. Newcastle appear to have targeted a coach who can deliver what the St James’ Park crowd demands.
Instead of another established Premier League manager, they have turned to one of Europe's brightest young coaches. An energetic, forward-thinking figure to match the club's new model of developing elite talent rather than simply buying finished products.
Howe also templated his Toon vision on energy and work rate. For his first three-and-a-half years, it worked a treat.
However, there is no denying that his messaging failed to filter through last season. Newcastle looked lethargic - and a fresh face could be the medicine to re-energise a stuttering side.
One intriguing subplot will be how Jaissle integrates fellow German Nick Woltemade. At 6ft 6in, he is hardly the archetypal Red Bull forward, making their partnership a fascinating tactical question. He will no doubt be eager to get the best out of his compatriot.
Track record
Jaissle scooped two Austrian league titles and a cup at Red Bull Salzburg. This earned him a big-money move to Al-Ahli - where he won consecutive AFC Champions League titles.
At just 38, Jaissle has plenty of potential as a coach. The big question mark is whether this early success will translate to the Premier League.
On a positive note, managing big personalities like Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney is a big plus. The jury is out - but Jaissle now gets his chance to crack the big league.