Matthias Jaissle is the overwhelming favourite to become the new head coach of Newcastle following the departure this morning of Eddie Howe.
Jaissle is relatively unknown in the United Kingdom but has carved out a big reputation in Asia, helping Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli to back-to-back Champions League successes.
Jaissle profile
Born: April 5, 1988 in Nürtingen, Germany
Playing Career: Hoffenheim (2007-2014)
Appearances: 60
Managerial Career: FC Liefering (2021), RB Salzburg (2021-2023), Al-Ahli (2023- )
Jaissle’s career takes off thanks to Rangnick
Jaissle’s playing career was disrupted when he suffered a serious ACL injury playing for Hoffenheim against Hannover in 2009. He was never the same when he returned and eventually hung up his boots in 2014.
Ralf Rangnick had brought him to Hoffenheim but had subsequently moved on to RB Leipzig and he offered Jaissle the opportunity to start his coaching career in the German club’s youth department.
He gradually worked his way through the ranks – leaving briefly to become Alexander Zorniger’s assistant at Danish club Brondby – before being named head coach of the Under-18s at Salzburg, who like Leipzig are part of the Red Bull network of clubs.
Promotion followed, first when he was named boss of Salzburg’s feeder club FC Liefering and then shortly afterwards came the top job, succeeding Jesse Marsch.
Aged 33, he had the biggest job in Austrian football and he ran with it, developing a reputation for high-energy, high-press football as Salzburg, who had a hugely talented squad that included the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Karim Adeyemi, Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson, cruised to a league and cup double in his first season in charge.
Saudi opportunity arises for Jaissle
He repeated the feat in the 2022/23 season before being sacked after it emerged he had been discussing a switch to Al-Ahli.
“Yes, you’re not the first person to see it as a remarkable move,” he told The Athletic in January.
“But back then, it was really spontaneous. I wish the timing had been different, but sometimes that’s how it is in football. There’s interest, or an offer, and then you need to decide quickly.
“But for me, the thought back then was obviously — and let’s be completely honest — that financially it was something I just had to consider. But the other part was the chance to coach a team who had just got promoted into the first league, with a huge fanbase and with some big stars – some superstars, really – and it was a big step for me.”
Howe repeatedly refused to discuss Saudi’s human rights record – claiming he didn’t have time to research it properly – but Jaissle admitted he had given it thought.
“Yes, I’d read the headlines but at the same time I was aware that the country was taking some positive steps to open up,” he claimed. “There is a positive energy, that things are better than before and will keep getting better in the future. Not just in the club but across the city and country, especially among the young people.
“Obviously, change doesn’t happen overnight. It will take time. It’s growing so fast and that gives you hope for the future. I’ve seen for myself that in many ways they are on the right path.
“And I wanted the challenge. I wanted to coach abroad, in a different culture, and to work in English, which is not my native language.
“So, I saw it as a chance to develop as a coach. I’m still young, but I felt I was experienced enough to manage the expectations and the players, and to lead the team in the way that I had in Salzburg and for my style of play to be recognisable.”
He took over an Al-Ahli squad packed with players who had carved out a reputation in Europe’s major leagues – Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessie and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy while Ivan Toney joined shortly after.
Al-Ahli recorded third, fifth and third Pro League finishes in his three seasons in charge but his real success came continentally with Champions League trophy wins in 2025 and 2026.
What is his Jaissle’s playing style?
Jaissle is a disciple of Rangnick and the Red Bull system that is built on high press.
He said: “I want stress on the opponent as soon as possible. And when we win the ball, I want to go as quickly as possible towards the opponent’s goal. I’m very vertical in that approach.”
At Salzburg he showed his versatility by adopting different systems domestically in games where his side would dominate possession and in Europe where they would have to sit back.
“In Austria, we often faced teams who played a low block, but adaptation was always really important,” he explained. “In the league, we could play our way, using the identity we had in the academy, up through Liefering, and into the first team.
“But sometimes in the Champions League, I would try to do the same thing. You can’t always do that. You have to be smarter. There are times in the game where you have to play deep, which was not natural to us, and when you have to change the depth of your back four or alter the space between the defenders.
“That helped prepare me for coming to Saudi Arabia. I had a squad that was completely different in profile, and I had to think much more game-to-game about formation, how and when to press, and that forced me to become much more flexible — to develop as a coach.”
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