Newcastle United name Jaissle as manager after Saudi Arabia stint

Newcastle United appointed Matthias Jaissle as manager on Wednesday following the departure of Eddie Howe, with the German coach joining the squad at their pre-season training camp in La Manga, Spain.

Jaissle was previously manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, leading them to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles.

Meanwhile, Al Ahli have appointed Marino Pusic to replace Jaissle. The 54-year-old managed UAE side Al Jazira last season in his first coaching spell in the Gulf region.

"It is an incredible honour to become head coach of Newcastle United. This is one of the biggest clubs in European football, with a unique history, identity and supporter base, and I am excited to experience that passion and connection first-hand," Jaissle said in a statement.

“When Newcastle United comes your way, you take notice. The ambition of the club, the vision for the future and the opportunity ahead made this an incredibly compelling place to be."

Jaissle succeeds Howe, who stepped down after nearly five years in charge despite leading Newcastle to their first major domestic trophy in 70 years with the 2025 League Cup and two Champions League qualifications.

Howe's departure on Friday came amid a turbulent period for the club, which finished a disappointing 12th in the Premier League last season and recently lost key players Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, while Arsenal reportedly agreed a deal on Wednesday to sign Magpies captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Jaissle arrives at Newcastle United with a growing reputation as a top young manager - and an enormous task.

At 38, he is regarded as one of Europe's brightest young coaches.

The former centre back's success with Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahli earned him admirers across the game. After leading Salzburg to successive Austrian Bundesliga titles in 2022 and 2023, he joined Al-Ahli.

With Al-Ahli and Newcastle both owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund - he is considered to be the progressive, front-foot manager capable of reigniting Newcastle's stalled momentum.

But Jaissle inherits a club in turmoil.

Howe's departure was a major blow for supporters who watched him transform Newcastle from relegation candidates into Champions League qualifiers.

And few managers have enjoyed a stronger bond with the St James' Park faithful. He rebuilt the club's identity, improved players across the squad and restored belief on Tyneside.

His exit leaves a void that will not be easy to fill.

ATTACKING FOOTBALL

Jaissle's credentials, however, are impressive. His teams are built on aggressive pressing, fast transitions and attacking football. He has shown a willingness to trust young players and has developed a reputation for creating energetic, highly organised sides capable of overwhelming opponents.

Newcastle will hope those qualities can help reverse a worrying decline.

The scale of the rebuild is stark. Alexander Isak departed for Liverpool last summer in a British-record 125 million pound ($168 million) deal.

Newcastle lost more key players this close season with Tonali joining Tottenham Hotspur and Gordon moving to Barcelona before Guimaraes' reported move to Arsenal.

Howe's departure came after Newcastle missed out on European football, and their preparations for the new campaign suffered another setback with a 4-1 pre-season defeat by Championship side Bristol City last week.

Against that backdrop, Jaissle has little time to ease into the role. Replacing a successful manager is difficult enough. Replacing a popular one can be even harder.

For Newcastle's hierarchy, however, the appointment represents a bold statement. They remain determined to establish the club among the Premier League elite and believe Jaissle's modern approach can help deliver that ambition.

Whether he can restore momentum to a club that appears to have lost its way is the question that will define Newcastle's season.

Jaissle will get his first chance to provide an answer on August 23, when his reign begins with a daunting home clash against 2024-25 league champions Liverpool.