Jaissle starts with win but keeps locker room grounded

Matthias Jaissle began his tenure as the head coach of Newcastle United with a friendly victory, but he remains cautious about overcelebrating. Following a 2-1 victory over Valencia in his first pre-season match at Mestalla Stadium, Jaissle stated, "We will not smash the locker room now and celebrate a lot. We still have a lot to work on."

Newcastle fell behind early, conceding a goal to Filip Ugrinic just four minutes into the match. Despite this setback, Jaissle saw promising signs from his players. The match saw a significant moment when Anthony Elanga was stretchered off after a bad tackle by Jose Gaya, who received a red card for the foul. While Jaissle felt "in fear" for Elanga’s condition at the time, reports indicated that the forward walked off the field later, and it didn't appear to be a serious injury, just a bruise to his shin.

Instead of losing focus, substitute striker Yoane Wissa made a strong impact by scoring two goals after coming off the bench, contributing significantly to the team's victory. New signings Bazoumana Toure and Sean Steur also impressed, demonstrating their ability to adapt after transferring from Hoffenheim and Ajax, respectively. "Winning games always helps to gain confidence," Jaissle commented. "We also knew that we had a hard week behind us. The players did well and there was a huge commitment to see in each session, so they really deserve two days off and then we start again."

Jaissle faces a crucial period of transition with a squad that has seen many changes recently. Former head coach Eddie Howe has departed, with key players such as Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Anthony Gordon leaving in the past year. Fans humorously adapted their chants in response to these departures, indicating their hopes for the team’s future stability.

Age has notably shifted within the squad, with 28-year-old Harvey Barnes being the oldest starter against Valencia. Jaissle welcomed younger players into the lineup, including goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, midfielder Aladji Bamba, and forward Toure, who are all under 25, alongside 18-year-old Sean Steur who made a bench appearance.

Jaissle emphasized the importance of time for developing young players, stating, "Time is the key. They’re young lads. It’s never going to be easy in football, especially at the highest level, but we’re here to do that."

As Newcastle searches for additional experienced players, Jaissle’s earlier decisions, such as excluding veteran goalkeeper Nick Pope from the matchday squad, show a willingness to make tough choices. Jaissle remarked, "I had a talk with Nick. I really appreciate what he did in his career so far. He knows exactly the situation right now and we need to deal with it in the best possible way, but I always appreciate the player and the human being behind."

Jaissle will visit Newcastle for the first time as head coach over the next week where he plans to get his first impressions of St James’ Park before his formal unveiling.