Skip to content
Back to the daily read

Daily Read: Football

Jaissle’s Tumour Turns into Coaching Triumph

Matthias Jaissle, Newcastle United’s head coach, revealed that a tumour in his neck at age five forced him to give up playing football. The childhood illness taught him the value of health and resilience, lessons he says still guide his coaching philosophy. After a promising youth career at Hoffenheim, a serious knee injury at 20 halted his playing days, leading to retirement in 2014. He entered coaching through a training programme at RB Leipzig, where he worked with youth teams and club staff before moving to Red Bull Salzburg. Success in Austria and Saudi Arabia earned him a role at Newcastle, where he took over after Eddie Howe’s departure in 2023. Jaissle has faced a steep learning curve, managing a squad that underwent a mass overhaul and dealing with injuries in a short pre‑season. Despite early setbacks, the club’s young players have responded to his aggressive, vertical style, and he has already secured a win against Hull City. Off the pitch, Jaissle has settled into Tyneside, welcoming fans and celebrating victories with community gestures.

· BBC Sport

The essential points

  1. 01Tumour in neck at age five forced Jaissle to abandon playing, shaping his resilience.
  2. 02Knee injury at 20 ended his playing career, leading to retirement in 2014.
  3. 03Coaching path began at RB Leipzig, progressed through Salzburg and Al‑Ahli before joining Newcastle in 2023.
  4. 04Newcastle’s squad overhaul and pre‑season injuries tested Jaissle, yet he secured a 2‑1 win over Hull City and won fan support.
The full brief

Matthias Jaissle, Newcastle United’s head coach, revealed that a tumour in his neck at age five forced him to give up playing football. The childhood illness taught him the value of health and resilience, lessons he says still guide his coaching philosophy. After a promising youth career at Hoffenheim, a serious knee injury at 20 halted his playing days, leading to retirement in 2014.

He entered coaching through a training programme at RB Leipzig, where he worked with youth teams and club staff before moving to Red Bull Salzburg. Success in Austria and Saudi Arabia earned him a role at Newcastle, where he took over after Eddie Howe’s departure in 2023. Jaissle has faced a steep learning curve, managing a squad that underwent a mass overhaul and dealing with injuries in a short pre‑season.

Despite early setbacks, the club’s young players have responded to his aggressive, vertical style, and he has already secured a win against Hull City. Off the pitch, Jaissle has settled into Tyneside, welcoming fans and celebrating victories with community gestures.