Matthias Jaissle has had a mixed start to his time on Tyneside, which began with an unbeaten start to their season, but soon turned ugly with two heavy away defeats on back-to-back Monday nights, followed by a limping performance in front of the St James' Park crowd, which resulted in a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Their win over Crystal Palace should have been a turning point, but the Magpies bowed out of the Carabao Cup in a 3-1 defeat to Everton Midweek, with the heat remaining on Jaissle.
Short-term pain, for long-term gain
When Newcastle United came under new ownership in 2021 and replaced Steve Bruce, Eddie Howe's first two months in charge didn't go exactly to plan.
They had one win in Howe's first set of games, a 1-0 win over Burnley in December 2021, but immediately lost 4-0 to Leicester City The following week.
The Magpies then went on another six-game winless run, which included a humiliating FA Cup third-round exit to Cambridge United in January 2022.
It was a rough start for Howe on Tyneside, but he turned it around and finished eighth at the end of the season. He finished fourth the following season and secured Champions League football for the first time since 2002.
He finished 7th in 23/24 and then got the club back into the Champions League spots, finishing fifth in 24/25 and also winning the Carabao Cup.
Yes, the success was the highlight of Howe's run at Newcastle, and rightly so, but it's easy to forget the tough road it was when he first arrived, when the club was fighting for survival.
But it shows patience can be rewarded: after the defeat to Cambridge, there could have been a change in direction and discussions about Howe’s future, but there was still support and faith that he would deliver.
Given how he is remembered in Newcastle, the wait was worth it. The Geordies will tout March 16th, 2025 as the greatest moment in their club's recent history, and it was because of the trust placed in Howe.
Jaissle's tricky start on Tyneside
It was always going to be an uphill battle regardless of who was following Howe because of what he had achieved in his five years at the club. But it's especially difficult for Jaissle, as this is his first job in a top-five European League.
There have been highs, including the draws against Liverpool and Bournemouth, along with the away wins against Spurs and Crystal Palace. But there have been lows too, including heavy away defeats to Leeds and Coventry, as well as poor performances in defeats to Villa and, more recently, Everton.
Jaissle won't be given a free ride, especially from supporters, who have grown divided over the young German manager. His preferred 4-2-3-1 system, squad selections and recent performances have all come under scrutiny.
That’s not to say that it has all been Jaissle’s fault by any means. In fact, it has been in part the players’ own self-destruction that has led to poor results, such as being knocked out of the cup on Thursday. The players who haven't performed to the expected standard need to be held accountable too.
Newcastle spent £268.46M on incomings this past summer, with a heavy focus on signing young players who can be developed over time. But that has led to some naivety, mainly at both ends of the pitch where the Magpies have struggled to both convert chances, having 28 shots against Everton, and defend their goal, conceding three goals from five shots on target against the Toffees too.
History shows that patience is required
If you've come this far and are still reading, you are probably sick of seeing the word patience. But it rings true; circumstances were different when Howe first arrived, but the fact remains: he was given time to get results.
Yes, time is short in football, and managers are never 100% safe, but if you chop and change every time there is the first hint of negativity, it does more harm than good.
One of Newcastle's best decisions was giving Howe the time and space to deliver. Right now, it's hard to tell whether they're improving or finding success.
But, at this early stage, who is to say with confidence that Jaissle's tenure won't eventually become just as successful as Howe's? If we start the train of negativity now and get on his back, we risk depriving ourselves of that possibility before he has even had a fair opportunity to establish himself.
Newcastle are still in a relatively healthy position in the Premier League, and whilst the performances haven't always been pretty, I don't think we have reached a point where we can reasonably demand much more from a manager who inherited such a difficult situation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google