Who is Matthias Jaissle? Newcastle fans have been urged to cheer for the 38-year-old ‘direct and aggressive’ tactician
Al Ahli’s Matthias Jaissle is set to become Newcastle’s next manager after Eddie Howe stepped down.
Howe replaced Steve Bruce as manager in November 2021 and ended the Magpies’ 70-year wait for a major trophy by winning the 2025 Carabao Cup.
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The 48-year-old was under pressure last season as Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League.
His last game in charge was a 4-1 defeat by Bristol City in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
The club seems to be well prepared for his exit, as it is reported that the negotiations between Jaissle and Newcastle are at a high level.
Who is Matthias Jaissle?
Jaissle won the Asian Champions League twice with Al Ahli, a club owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, like Newcastle.
The German played for Hoffenheim most of the time after being signed from Stuttgart by then manager Ralf Rangnick.
He amassed 60 first team appearances at center back from 2007-2014; however, an ACL injury forced him to retire early at just 26 years old.
Rangnick invited the German to the trainee program at RB Leipzig within the club’s youth set.
The 38-year-old then managed Red Bull Salzburg, winning back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles aged just 33.
Additionally, he led the club to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Jaissle joined Al Ahli in 2023 and led them to back-to-back Asian Champions League titles in 2025 and 2026.
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German football expert Seb Stafford-Bloor believes Newcastle fans should be delighted with their new manager.
He told talkSPORT: “For Newcastle fans, this is exciting. Matthias Jaissle – his roots were in the Red Bull system. So he’s playing as you would expect.
“Direct thinking, very forward, aggressive off the ball. He’s a very likeable character, very active on the phone.
“I mean, he has won consecutive Asian Champions Leagues, which was the first continental cups in the history of Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. So, he has done a great job and he is only 38 years old.
“This is a guy who’s still developing, but he’s already an interesting character.
Who owns Matthias Jaissle?
Being the head coach of back-to-back Austrian champions at just 33 years old, he has been able to use his age to connect with a young team that includes Benjamin Sesko, Brenden Aaronson, and Noah Okafor.
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Asked if Jaissle was better than Thomas Tuchel or Jurgen Klopp, Stafford-Bloor commented: “I’m going to sit on the phone and say he’s somewhere between the two of them, because I think his personality is brilliant, he’s better than Klopp.
“I mean, he’s not the same person to talk to, although he obviously puts a lot of emphasis on communication and he gets on well with the younger players.
“When he was in Salzburg, because he was so young, he had a kind of relationship with some of the younger guys there. So Benjamin Sesko was one of them, for example, who is now at Manchester United, of course.
“All I can say is, he’s his own person. And certainly whenever you talk about someone who’s come out of Red Bull, people think of a cookie-cutter coach, they all believe in the same things.
“And yes, some of the teachings are there, such as high pressure, he wants the ball to move quickly in the middle of the field. When I spoke to him, he said that one of the most important things for him is that he does not want his players to play like robots.
“Especially when it comes to the offensive end, you’re looking for decision makers, you’re looking for problem solvers, you’re looking for creative types that open doors.”
Matthias Jaissle in his own words
Speaking about his time as Al Ahli manager, Jaissle said: “At that time, it was really spontaneous. I wish the time was different, but sometimes it happens in football. There is an interest, or an offer, and then you need to decide quickly.
“But for me, the thought at the time was obvious – and let’s be completely honest – that financially it was something I had to consider.
“But the other part was the opportunity to coach a team that had just been promoted to the first division, with a lot of fans and big stars – some stars, really – and it was a big step for me.”
It gave the German the chance to train top figures in Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, and Edouard Mendy.
England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that he has a good relationship with his teammates when discussing the inclusion of Ivan Toney in the Three Lions team.
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Tuchel says: “We were a bit surprised! [that Toney was in the picture]. When it came to all kinds of different situations, he was back in the picture.
“I heard good feedback from Matthias, about his ability, about his fitness. We could see that he is still collecting the numbers.
“I think he has special skills that can help us. That would mean that if we are chasing a goal, he would be a good addition to it Four timesyou were in the box when we pushed the goal.”
Toney has been one of Saudi Arabia’s best strikers under Jaissle and was the second top scorer last season.
He scored 32 goals last season, four more than Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
What style of football does Matthias Jaissle play?
Since the 38-year-old’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, Al Ahli have played 138 games – winning 92, drawing 21 and losing 25.
His tactics are heavily influenced by the Red Bull training model, with his sides built around high pressure and high pressure.
His preferred formation in the Middle East is 4-3-1-2, with the young manager favoring attacking full-backs who provide width.
Jaissle’s teams aim to win the ball back and attack quickly before the opposition can reorganize defensively.
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His coaching style would be a good fit for Newcastle, who have built a team with intensity and speed.
The young manager boasts a 70 percent win rate across his five-year career.
The 38-year-old has previously spoken about how he adapted his Red Bull influence to the team outside the programme.
He said: “We haven’t had a set way of playing here that has been established for many years, and the Al Ahli players have not learned to play in one way since they arrived at the club.
“Instead, the club did everything possible in the transfer market, brought in players with different types of backgrounds, so I had to adjust my thinking at times.
“A player like Riyad Mahrez, for example. He played for Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) for a long time and won many trophies, so he will think differently and have a different mindset.
“The challenge for me is to bring all those different styles within the same identity.
“When I arrived, I was determined that I would not treat the big stars in a different way than the way I treated the young players in Salzburg.
“I would lead them the same way: treat them with respect and ask for their commitment and hold everyone to the same standard.
“Right away, if you have players who have played in the big league, you have to show appreciation for what they have achieved.”
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