Matthias Jaissle’s first week as Newcastle United head coach has been dominated by change, with the Magpies navigating a summer rebuild following the departures of several senior stars and, lastly, captain Bruno Guimaraes.
While supporters are focused on who could arrive next and still decide whether or not Jaissle is the right man to lead the Magpies into a new era, the Magpies gaffer revealed an important change taking place behind the scenes during his first press conference.
The German manager
confirmed on Thursday that he will not have the final say on transfer decisions in a shift from the structure under predecessor Eddie Howe, who was the man with the final say in everything regarding incoming and outgoing transfers for the past five years.
Asked whether he would control everything about transfers, Jaissle stressed that recruitment will instead be a collective process involving everyone, mostly sporting director Ross Wilson and CEO David Hopkinson.
“It is always about unity and having this conversation and being transparent in the way we think,” Jaissle said. “Then it is a collective decision what we are going to do. That is important, that we show that as a club, that unity is one of the key values from the Newcastle code. And this is something that we want to live.”
Jaissle also suggested the squad is far from complete despite Newcastle already making five signings this summer, admitting further additions are expected before the transfer deadline on Sept. 1.
“This is now a transitional phase,” Jaissle said. “I am really excited now to finally be – officially – here in the camp… We have the capacity do something in the market. Our sporting director is aware of that, so I’m sure when the season starts we will see some new faces.”
If anything, Jaissle’s comments underline a notable shift in Newcastle’s football structure, with Wilson and Hopkinson now sharing responsibility for recruitment alongside the new head coach rather than one figure leading the process.
Do you prefer Newcastle’s new collaborative approach to transfers, or should the head coach have the final say on everything about who comes and who goes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
