Newcastle United’s new head coach Matthias Jaissle has already discussed the importance of a ‘leadership group’ with some big decisions expected.
Matthias Jaissle could be set to make some big decisions regarding the player leadership structure at Newcastle United.
The Magpies’ leadership group from last season has been dismantled with the departures of Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles, with Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Pope at risk of following. Guimaraes has joined up with the Newcastle squad in Spain as club captain but remains subject to intense transfer interest from Arsenal.
An agreement between all parties is understood to be close, which would allow Guimaraes to leave Newcastle’s training camp and sign for Arsenal.
Newcastle United and England defender Dan Burn.placeholder image
Newcastle United and England defender Dan Burn. | Getty Images
Should a move materialise as expected, Newcastle could be heading into the new season without a captain in place. Dan Burn is yet to join up with Newcastle’s squad following his time away at the World Cup with England, leaving Jacob Murphy as Newcastle’s de facto captain this pre-season.
But Jaissle’s arrival and the expected departure of Guimaraes is set to cause somewhat of a shake-up in the leadership group this summer. There are big questions over whether it will remain under the new head coach or whether it will undergo significant changes.
But Jaissle adopted a similar leadership system at Al-Ahli which involved players Riyad Mahrez, Ivan Toney, Roger Ibanez and Edouard Mendy.
It’s something he holds great value in, as discussed on The Mo Show: “I call it, the player council. So it's a leadership group, and definitely they help me.
“They are for sure responsible also for many things, not only on the pitch, that we're going in the right direction, and this is important as a coach, that you have a good link to these players. I like to listen to them, I like to hear their thoughts. I think as a leader, communication is important, really important, and it's not just me talking, it's also me listening, and this is what I like to do with them, and they are good guys.”
It is likely Newcastle will retain a leadership group under Jaissle, though which players will be involved remains unclear. There are some vacant spots up for grabs following the departures of Lascelles and Trippier, and potentially more to come.
Newcastle’s longest continually serving player, Fabian Schar, has been tipped to be drafted into the leadership group. Like Jaissle, he is a native German speaker and also played for Hoffenheim.
Schar will be hoping to put his recent injury struggles behind him as he heads into the new season.