adminNewcastle United supporters have been left talking about Matthias Jaissle after the new head coach appeared to show exactly the kind of passion and leadership fans want to see from their manager.
The moment came during Newcastle’s pre-season clash against Valencia at the Mestalla, when a shocking challenge from Valencia captain José Gayà left Anthony Elanga needing to be stretchered off.
The incident immediately sparked a furious reaction from the Newcastle players, with the seriousness of the challenge leaving teammates and supporters fearing the worst.
But amid the chaos, Jaissle was also involved.
The new Newcastle boss stepped onto the pitch as the situation unfolded, moving towards his player and showing his concern for Elanga after the brutal challenge.
The reaction quickly caught the attention of supporters, particularly because it showed a side of Jaissle that is rarely captured during the intensity of a match.
🗣️ “Wow, no manager will ever do this 😳”
Another Newcastle supporter reacted to the moment:
🗣️ “What is he even doing there? No wonder the players already love him 🤫”
And another fan summed up the feeling among supporters:
🗣️ “No way these boys already have the right man 👏🔥”
The incident came in the 35th minute and resulted in Gayà being sent off, while Elanga was forced to leave the pitch on a stretcher.
For Newcastle, however, the biggest concern was not the red card or the impact it had on the friendly — it was whether Elanga had suffered a serious injury.
Speaking after the match, Jaissle admitted that he was initially extremely worried about the winger.
🗣️ “It was a shocking challenge and I was in fear [it was a serious injury], definitely. But now I’m more relaxed because the medical department are almost showing green lights that it is nothing serious.”
The Newcastle boss then made it clear just how relieved he was to receive positive indications from the medical team.
🗣️ “We are blessed. Hopefully he can be back in the next week. Anthony seems to be okay, that’s the most important thing, that there is no serious injury as it looks right now.”
Those comments will undoubtedly come as a huge relief to Newcastle supporters, particularly after seeing one of their important attacking players leave the pitch on a stretcher.
But the incident also provided an early glimpse into Jaissle’s personality.
The German coach has only recently taken charge at St James’ Park, yet his willingness to immediately show concern for his players has already attracted attention.
And that could become an important part of his relationship with the Newcastle squad.
Jaissle is taking over at a particularly difficult time, with the club undergoing significant changes following Eddie Howe’s departure and several major players leaving during the summer.
The new manager therefore needs to build trust quickly.
His reaction to Elanga’s injury may have provided Newcastle supporters with a small but significant indication of the type of manager they have appointed.
On the pitch, Jaissle also had plenty to be pleased about.
Newcastle eventually came from behind to defeat Valencia 2-1, with Yoane Wissa scoring twice in the second half to complete the comeback.
The result gave Jaissle a winning start to his Newcastle reign, although he was quick to insist that nobody should get carried away by a pre-season victory.
🗣️ “We will not smash the locker room down and celebrate a lot, we are quite balanced.”
The Newcastle manager added that there was still plenty of work to do before the Premier League season begins.
🗣️ “We know what this is about, it is pre-season and we still have a lot to do.”
Jaissle also praised the commitment shown by his players throughout their training camp.
🗣️ “The players did well and there was a huge commitment in each session, so they really deserve two days off and then we start again.”
And perhaps the most telling comment from the new boss was his reminder that patience will be required as he works with a young and changing Newcastle squad.
🗣️ “Time is the key, they are young lads.”
The Valencia victory may only have been a pre-season friendly, but the match produced several encouraging signs for Newcastle.
Wissa announced himself with two goals, the team showed character to recover from going behind and Jaissle demonstrated his desire to protect his players when Elanga was left hurt on the pitch.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
admin
