Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson has called new head coach Matthias Jaissle a “rock star” with “no ceiling on where his career could go.”
The German was appointed on Wednesday following the departure of Eddie Howe after five years at the club, a move which Hopkinson said marked the beginning of his “Newcastle 2.0″ project.
“We had a clear set of criteria of what we want from the manager that succeeds Eddie. MJ [Matthias Jaissle] fits every one and exceeds others that we hadn’t even contemplated. This guy’s a born winner,” Hopkinson told The Athletic.
“I’m not going to tell you what he’s going to do at Newcastle because that story is still to be written.
Read more:Tottenham agree potential £100m Sandro Tonali deal with Newcastle – sources
“But let me tell you what he’s done. He’s won six pieces of silverware in his young managerial career. He is high-impact. He is high-energy. He has a clear vision of what it takes to win.
“I have had the privilege of working with some extraordinary managers and coaches, Eddie being one, and this young man has no ceiling on where his career could go.”
Hopkinson added: “I have every confidence MJ is the right man to lead us into the future and build on everything Eddie has done for this club. This guy is really impressive. This guy is fire. He is a rock star.”
Hopkinson thanked Howe — who he called “the architect, the leader, the author of Newcastle 1.0” — for his tenure at the club.
Read more:Eddie Howe set to leave Newcastle – sources
“I’m still checking in on him because I really care about him,” Hopkinson said.
“I think he’s going through a difficult period because of how much love he has for this club, but he’s made a really admirable decision to recognise that it’s time for a new voice, a new tone and a new leader.
“The guy is such a professional and he cares about this club so much that he said: ‘Please look for my replacement. But until then I’m here giving 100%.'”
Newcastle have endured a turbulent summer, with Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali also departing the club to join Barcelona and Tottenham, respectively. Sources have also told ESPN that the club have agreed a deal with Arsenal for captain Bruno Guimarães to join the Premier League champions.
Hopkinson called the Premier League’s squad-cost ratio rules “the most unfair salary system I’ve ever heard of,” and signalled that financial constraints may mean that the club will have to act differently going forward.
“There’s no Newcastle 2.0 without Newcastle 1.0,” he said. “It ignited this community and allowed us to dream. It brought us spectacular nights here, it brought us a trophy and a parade and watching those scenes is one of the reasons I decided to uproot my life and come here.
“It was a great chapter, but we were living beyond our means. And, at some point, you’ve got to pay the credit card bill.”
