New Newcastle boss Jaissle fears touchline behaviour could irk referees

Matthias Jaissle, the new Newcastle United manager, has admitted he is "a little bit afraid" of how referees will react to his emotional touchline style and that he must learn to control his presence in the technical area. Speaking at his first major press conference at St James' Park, Jaissle said he would not change his personality, but acknowledged the need to respect the technical area more. He joked that if he had worn a GPS tracker while coaching in Saudi Arabia, the distance covered would have been immense. The 38-year-old German previously managed Al-Ahli and Red Bull Salzburg, winning two consecutive AFC Champions League titles with the former. Former teammate Chinedu Obasi described Jaissle as "very hungry" for success, noting his passionate leadership style dating back to his playing days, which were cut short by a knee injury at 26. Jaissle aims to turn St James' Park back into a fortress after Newcastle finished 12th last season, losing seven home games. He expressed excitement about the atmosphere, stating that if the team plays an intense, vertical, and aggressive style, a "great synergy" will form with the fans. Players have been introduced to his methods during a training camp in Spain, which concluded with a 2-1 win over Valencia. Defender Malick Thiaw described the training intensity as "very high." While some fans like Adam Stoker see Jaissle's style as a major strength, there are concerns regarding the squad, which has lost key players including Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimaraes. Jaissle acknowledged these departures have created a "void" and emphasised that the club is in a period of transition. He stressed that while the club remains ambitious, success will not happen overnight and requires patience as the team aligns its vision.