Newcastle United head coach Alexander Jaissle revealed he battled a neck tumour at the age of five that left him unable to move his neck and cast doubt over his football future. "I had a tumour when I was five years old," Jaissle said. "Here in my neck so I couldn't move it anymore. That was a period where I already learned a lot about life, how important it is to be healthy, and how grateful you can be to be healthy and to follow your dream. It was not clear that I could play football as a kid anymore."
Despite the early health scare, Jaissle went on to forge a professional playing career as a defender, including time at Hoffenheim. He came close to a senior call-up for Germany but suffered a serious knee injury that ultimately ended his playing days in 2014. "I kept the dream for a lot longer than the doctors did," he said, reflecting on that setback. He described the injury period as a dark time but said the "wounds" helped shape his character. "That makes you the person you are, whatever aspect it is, with the belief you can overcome every obstacle," Jaissle said. "Every setback also has a positive side. If you overcome these challenges then you become stronger, more resilient."
Jaissle’s path into coaching began somewhat unexpectedly after Ralf Rangnick, his former Hoffenheim manager, invited him to a training programme at RB Leipzig. He was due to rotate through various departments but found his calling early on as an assistant youth coach alongside ex-teammate Sebastien Hoeness. "After two weeks, wow, I felt joy back in life," Jaissle said. That experience set him on a trajectory through coaching roles at Red Bull Salzburg and Saudi club Al-Ahli, where he won trophies and earned a reputation for intense work ethic.
Newcastle sources say the club saw immediately during recruitment that Jaissle was the right man to succeed Eddie Howe, who stepped down at the end of last season. Jaissle, 38, faced a baptism of fire with just three weeks to prepare for his Premier League debut against Liverpool. The squad was in flux with captain Bruno Guimaraes about to follow Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali in leaving for Arsenal in a £75m combined deal. Newcastle brought in eight new players—all aged 24 or under—transforming one of the Premier League’s most experienced teams into one of the youngest.
Injuries have also hit key players during this transitional phase. Nevertheless, Jaissle’s side have lost only once in their first seven matches across all competitions, a 4-1 defeat at Leeds United. The coach said there were promising elements in games but acknowledged there was plenty of room for improvement. "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," he added. Jaissle described the short, packed pre-season as a challenge to instil his ideas quickly but considers the team’s aggressive, vertical style of play adaptable at any level.
Statistically, Newcastle have made the most errors leading to shots (12) in the Premier League this season, and their attacking output has averaged just over three shots on target per match. The age and inexperience of the squad suggest ups and downs are inevitable as Jaissle builds his team.
He has quickly settled into life on Tyneside, moving out of a hotel into a new home and sampling local restaurants, though only to celebrate victories. After Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Hull City at St James’ Park, Jaissle even paid for a supporter’s birthday meal. "I really love the fans and the people here," he said. The backing of supporters has been a noticeable factor in his early days on Tyneside.
According to BBC Sports.
