Matthias Jaissle is expected to be named Newcastle United's new head coach, replacing Eddie Howe. The 38-year-old German, a close confidant of England manager Thomas Tuchel, under whom he played in Stuttgart's academy, arrives after leading Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, Newcastle's sister club, to back-to-back Asian Champions League titles. Before that, he won successive titles at Red Bull Salzburg after taking charge there aged just 33.
Jaissle is a committed follower of the 'RB Style' used across the Red Bull network of clubs, a philosophy built by German coach Ralf Rangnick, of whom Jaissle is a disciple. It means fast, intense pressing, winning the ball back high up the pitch and attacking as directly as possible.
"We want to be courageous, bold, and attack-minded," Jaissle said in 2022 after winning the Austrian double in his first season at Salzburg, having joined from feeder club FC Liefering. "Naturally, this should be combined with high pressing to put the opposition under a lot of pressure."
"I want stress on the opponent as soon as possible," he told The Athletic in January. "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."
Flexible but simple
Jaissle prefers not to "overwhelm" players with information and favours one-to-one meetings to get messages across. His principles have stayed constant, but his shapes have shifted. At Salzburg he used a narrow diamond with full-backs providing width. At Al Ahli he has used a 4-2-3-1 with Riyad Mahrez behind striker Ivan Toney, who scored 32 league goals last season, as well as 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and occasional back threes.
"It is not about formations that much," Jaissle said. "It is more how you want to play, how you want to attack, how you want to defend." He even got Mahrez pressing regularly, with only five forwards winning the ball back in the final third more often than the former Manchester City and Leicester winger.
A style shift from Howe's later years
Newcastle were known for intensity early in Howe's tenure but became more pedestrian as they juggled Champions League commitments, which they do not have this season. Al Ahli moved the ball up the pitch faster than any Premier League side last season, and only Sunderland and West Ham played a higher percentage of forward passes.
Per match this past season, Newcastle averaged 450 passes to Al Ahli's 346, and 10.2 sequences of ten-plus passes to Al Ahli's 6.3. Al Ahli's forward pass percentage was 36.2 against Newcastle's 33.9, though Newcastle crossed more (16.7 to 11.6) and had more shots (13.0 to 12.9). Al Ahli faced fewer shots per game, 8.6 to Newcastle's 12.4, and recorded more high turnovers, 7.8 to 6.6.
Players who could thrive
Anthony Gordon, a willing runner suited to a direct system, has already left for Barcelona. Anthony Elanga, who joined from Nottingham Forest for £55million but failed to score a league goal last season, could benefit; no player averaged more sprints per 90 minutes than him last season. New £42.3million signing Bazoumana Touré, a rapid Ivorian, also fits the profile, while it is unclear whether 31-year-old Jacob Murphy has the legs for Jaissle's press.
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall could also flourish, since Jaissle likes his full-backs pushing up alongside wingers to overload wide areas. In Al Ahli's 3-0 win over Al Kholood last season, the side shifted into a 3-2-5 shape with centre-back Merih Demiral moving wide and right-back Ali Majrashi joining Mahrez high up the pitch.
That same shape leaves room for a midfielder to break from deep. For Al Ahli it was Franck Kessie, who assisted two goals in that win over Al Kholood. For Salzburg it was Brenden Aaronson, now at Leeds, who credited Jaissle with reshaping his game. "He's taught me a different way of playing the No10 role," Aaronson said. "More runs in behind and late runs into the box. My playmaking skills and final pass have gotten better."
At Newcastle, Joelinton could be that runner, though his future is uncertain after he asked to leave for Saudi Arabia this summer. Joe Willock previously built a reputation for arriving late in the box.
Replacing Tonali and developing youth
Replacing £100million Sandro Tonali will not be simple. Newcastle have signed 18-year-old Sean Steur and 20-year-old Aladji Bamba. "The way he works and develops young players is exceptional," said Christoph Freund, Salzburg's sporting director during Jaissle's time there.
Wissa, Woltemade and Toney
Yoane Wissa, whose debut Newcastle season was cut short by a knee injury, could benefit after a good World Cup. At Brentford he was among the division's leading strikers for winning the ball back in the final third.
Nick Woltemade presents more of a puzzle. Jaissle worked with 6ft 5in Benjamin Sesko at Salzburg, so has experience getting the best from tall strikers, but the 6ft 6in Woltemade offers more as a creator who drops between the lines than as a target man for knockdowns, and his struggles running channels or leading the press could count against him up top. Toney is not renowned as an elite presser but has shown he can win the ball back high while remaining a ruthless finisher.
Goalkeeper uncertainty
Nick Pope's Newcastle future is already uncertain. The club have signed 20-year-old keeper Ewen Jaouen and are reportedly closing in on Braga's Lukas Hornicek. "Goalkeeper is not a position by itself any more," Jaissle has said. "It is completely included with the other guys. A goalkeeper has to have an understanding of all phases of the game."
Rasmus Kristensen, who played under Jaissle at Salzburg, offered his verdict on the incoming coach. "He is a born winner," Kristensen said. "He possesses that special winning mentality."
