Matthias Jaissle, the 38‑year‑old German who is being touted as Eddie Howe's possible successor at Newcastle United, may not be a household name for many football fans. Until now his résumé has been built largely away from the English spotlight, with head‑coaching stints in Austria and Saudi Arabia.
So, who exactly is the coach linked with a move to St James’ Park? Jaissle began his playing career as a midfielder for Hoffenheim, where he spent several seasons before hanging up his boots and turning to coaching.
Early on he cut his teeth in Denmark and later joined the Red Bull Salzburg academy, absorbing the club’s high‑pressing, attack‑first philosophy. His first senior appointment came at FC Liefering, the feeder team for Salzburg, where he demonstrated an aptitude for developing young talent. In the summer of 2021 he was promoted to the top job at Red Bull Salzburg, taking over a side that regularly competes in Europe.
In his debut season at Salzburg Jaissle delivered a domestic double, winning both the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup. He repeated the league triumph the following year, cementing his reputation as a progressive manager capable of extracting the best from emerging stars such as Karim Adeyemi and Benjamin Sesko. Under his guidance Salzburg also featured in the UEFA Champions League, gaining valuable experience against elite opposition.
In 2023 Jaissle accepted a new challenge in the Middle East, becoming head coach of Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. During his three‑year spell in the Gulf, Jaissle added the Saudi Super Cup to his trophy cabinet, lifting the prize in a dramatic final held in Hong Kong. While his time in Saudi Arabia broadened his cultural horizons, he also kept his ideas about the future of football in the public eye. In a candid interview for Sky Sports’ "Future of Football" series, Jaissle outlined his tactical principles and his vision for how the game is evolving.
Jaissle’s roots lie firmly in the Red Bull school of thought, which emphasizes a relentless press, quick transitions and a willingness to move the ball forward at the earliest opportunity. However, he is careful not to be pigeon‑holed as a one‑dimensional coach. "You have to develop your game, you have to always make progress," he explained, noting that he constantly studies the work of the world’s leading managers and incorporates useful ideas into his own system.
He believes that a coach should borrow principles that make sense rather than copy a style wholesale. At Salzburg, Jaissle often deployed a compact 4‑4‑2 formation with inverted wingers—a setup popularised across Red Bull clubs by Ralf Rangnick.
The system allowed his side to dominate possession while still maintaining a high‑pressing defensive block. When he moved to Al Ahli, he experimented with a 4‑2‑3‑1 base, sometimes shifting to a 3‑2‑5 or even a 2‑3‑5 shape, formations that are more common in the Premier League. Yet, Jaissle stresses that the exact formation is secondary to the underlying principles of play.
"It is not about formations that much. It is more how you want to play, how you want to attack, how you want to defend," he said. "If the players understand the concepts, you can be tactically flexible and the formation becomes a tool, not a constraint." He acknowledges that modern football demands a higher tactical literacy from players. "These days the players are more and more involved in tactical things.
Every coach and every club works with principles, so every player has to know a lot of things, tactically, in each phase of the game. I think that's a big change," Jaissle observed.
This shift, he believes, is reflected in the Premier League’s recent trend toward greater physicality and an increased focus on set‑piece efficiency. "It could be more dynamic and more physical also," he predicted, adding that only the most professional athletes will thrive at the highest level.
Looking ahead, Jaissle foresees the rise of true "all‑rounders"—players who can contribute both offensively and defensively regardless of their nominal position. He envisions defenders who are comfortable joining the attack, forwards who track back diligently, and midfielders who can adapt to multiple roles. This versatility, he argues, gives managers the freedom to alter formations mid‑game without sacrificing cohesion. "Players who are able to play in more positions make it easier for the manager to change within the game or alter the formation.
That is quite easy if the players understand it and know how to live your principles on the pitch," he explained. Even the goalkeeper’s role has evolved under Jaissle’s philosophy. He no longer sees the keeper as an isolated shot‑stopper but as an integral part of the build‑up, requiring a solid grasp of all phases of play.
"Goalkeeper is not a position by itself any more. It is completely included with the other guys.
A goalkeeper has to have an understanding of all phases of the game," he noted. Jaissle also highlights his experience managing multicultural dressing rooms. At Salzburg, the squad featured players from more than ten different nationalities, a diversity that taught him how to communicate effectively across cultural lines. Despite the tactical intricacies, he believes that the core of good leadership lies in personal connection.
"I think the communication and the connection with the players is always the base for leadership and being a good coach," he told Sky Sports. He prioritises one‑on‑one conversations and face‑to‑face dialogue, cautioning against overwhelming players with excessive information. "You have to take care not to overload them.
You know so much about tactics, but you cannot just give everything to the players," he warned. In summary, Matthias Jaissle is a young, ambitious manager whose career has spanned Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Saudi Arabia. He blends the high‑pressing, attack‑oriented ethos of the Red Bull network with a flexible, principle‑driven approach that values player versatility and clear communication. Whether he eventually takes the helm at Newcastle United or another top‑flight club, his emphasis on continuous development, tactical adaptability, and cultural awareness positions him as a compelling candidate for the modern game.