Newcastle United have named Matthias Jaissle as their new head coach, confirming the appointment in an official club statement on Wednesday. The 38-year-old German succeeds Eddie Howe, who stepped down at the end of July, and joins from Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia, where he won back-to-back AFC Champions League titles.
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Newcastle said Jaissle had emerged as the clear outstanding candidate from a thorough, rigorous and confidential recruitment process, and that he begins his role immediately. He has already joined the squad at their pre-season training camp in La Manga, southern Spain, according to the club.
Two continental titles in two seasons
Widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading young coaches, Jaissle first made his name at Red Bull Salzburg, where he was appointed head coach at the age of 33. He won a domestic double in his first season, guided the Austrian club into the Champions League knockout stage for the first time in their history, and added a second consecutive league title before further European progress in the Europa League.
At Al-Ahli he quickly transformed the Jeddah side into one of Asia’s leading teams, securing AFC Champions League qualification in his first season. He leaves having led the club to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles, a feat no coach had previously achieved, according to the club’s announcement.
A quick handover after Howe’s exit
The appointment closes a short search that opened on 31 July, when Newcastle announced Howe’s decision to step down as head coach. Howe’s coaching staff departed with him, and Jaissle’s own backroom team will be announced shortly.
Al-Ahli, reluctant to lose a coach who had rebuilt the side, took time to complete the release paperwork, which delayed the formal confirmation even as Jaissle worked with his new players in Spain, the Guardian reported. Both clubs are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
A rebuild with the season two weeks away
Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League last season and have reshaped their squad this summer. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have left, and captain Bruno Guimarães is set to join Arsenal after the clubs agreed a fee reported at £75m by the Guardian.
In the club’s announcement, Jaissle said the club’s ambition made it an incredibly compelling place to be. “When Newcastle United comes your way, you take notice,” he said. “There is a clear vision, strong leadership and an exceptional platform to build on.” He described his teams as built on togetherness, hard work, intensity and a daily drive to improve.
Chief executive David Hopkinson called Jaissle “one of the most exciting and highly regarded young coaches in football”, while sporting director Ross Wilson said his teams play high-energy football and that his leadership style is strongly aligned with the club’s sporting vision.
With the new Premier League season little more than two weeks away, Jaissle has a short runway before his first competitive fixture. Newcastle said his coaching team and the details of his first weeks on Tyneside will be confirmed in the coming days.
