Matthias Jaissle was just five years old when he received a diagnosis of a tumour in his neck, an experience that altered his perspective on life before he had even started chasing his football dream.
The Newcastle United head coach says he learned from that time how crucial good health is and how thankful people can be for the opportunity to pursue their ambitions. At one stage, it was not even guaranteed that he would be able to play football again.
Jaissle’s childhood tumour changed his outlook
Jaissle ultimately became a professional footballer, despite the uncertainties surrounding his future as a child. The former Hoffenheim defender later came close to earning a senior Germany call-up, only for a serious knee injury to occur when he was just 20.
He refused to give up on his ambitions, saying he “kept the dream for a lot longer than the doctors did”. However, the injury eventually brought his playing career to a premature end, with Jaissle retiring a few years later in 2014.
The setback left him in a dark place, but the experiences he went through have since shaped the way he approaches challenges. Jaissle believes difficult moments can mould a person and reinforce their belief that obstacles can be overcome.
“Every setback also has a positive side,” he says. “If you overcome these challenges, then you become stronger and more resilient.”
How football brought Jaissle joy again
Jaissle’s experiences helped prepare him for a second career, although becoming a coach was not initially part of his plan. His former Hoffenheim manager, Ralf Rangnick, invited him to join a training programme at RB Leipzig and experience different areas of the club.
The original plan was for Jaissle to move between departments every six weeks. He began as an assistant youth coach alongside former teammate Sebastien Hoeness, who now manages Stuttgart, before he was due to spend time with the sporting director as well as the administrative, commercial, and marketing departments.
That plan quickly changed. Jaissle never moved on from the youth team because he discovered how much he enjoyed coaching.
“I didn’t move on,” he recalls. “After two weeks, wow, I felt joy back in life.”
From there, Jaissle continued up the coaching ladder, eventually winning trophies with Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ahli. His intensity and work rate made a strong impression on both players and staff, helping him earn the opportunity to take charge of Newcastle.
Jaissle faces a major challenge at Newcastle
Taking over Newcastle represented a significant challenge for the 38-year-old, who had never previously managed in the Premier League. His first weeks were particularly demanding, with only three weeks to prepare for Liverpool’s visit on the opening weekend while the squad was undergoing major changes.
Bruno Guimaraes was preparing to join Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali out of the club, completing a £75m move to Arsenal. Newcastle subsequently made eight signings, all aged 24 or under, as the squad became the youngest in the Premier League almost overnight.
A number of injuries to important players have added to the difficulties, although Jaissle has lost only one of his first seven matches in all competitions. That defeat came in a 4-1 loss at Leeds United.
Jaissle admits it has been “tougher than expected” to get his ideas across because pre-season was so short and packed with friendly matches. Even so, he believes there have already been signs of progress.
“There were elements in games where we saw a lot of the things we were looking for,” he says. “There were also phases in games where we were not happy and satisfied, so there’s still a lot of potential that we can improve.”
Newcastle fans have quickly welcomed Jaissle
Jaissle remains convinced that his aggressive, vertical style of football can succeed anywhere, although he recognises that his Newcastle team is still developing.
The side has made 12 errors leading to shots in the Premier League this season, the most in the competition, while Newcastle have averaged only a little more than three efforts on target per league match. With such a young squad, Jaissle expects there to be ups and downs as his players adapt.
Away from the pitch, however, the German has already settled into life on Tyneside. He recently moved from a hotel into a new home and has visited several restaurants in the city, although he says those trips have been reserved for celebrating victories.
After Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Hull City at St James’ Park, Jaissle even paid for a supporter’s birthday meal. His early impressions of the club’s supporters and the local community have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I really love the fans and the people here,” he says.