Matthias Jaissle was five years old when a tumour in his neck left him unable to move it. The Newcastle United head coach brought up the diagnosis himself during a recent interview, briefly pointing to the affected area before explaining what the experience taught him. "That was a period where I already learned a lot about life, how important it is to be healthy, and how grateful you can be," he said. "It was not clear that I could play football as a kid anymore."

He did go on to play. The former Hoffenheim defender reached a level where he felt a senior Germany call-up was within reach — only for a serious knee injury at 20 to end those ambitions. He "kept the dream for a lot longer than the doctors did", by his own account, but retired in 2014. It left him in a dark place, as he has previously acknowledged. Yet the setbacks, stacked one on top of another, appear to have forged the personality now standing on the touchline at St James' Park.

"Every setback also has a positive side," Jaissle says. "If you overcome these challenges then you become stronger, more resilient."

From Leipzig placement to the Premier League

Coaching was not the obvious next step. Ralf Rangnick — his former manager at Hoffenheim — invited Jaissle on to a training programme at RB Leipzig, where the plan was for him to rotate through various departments every six weeks, taking in sporting director duties, administration, commercial work. He never made it past the first stop. Two weeks in as an assistant youth coach under ex-teammate Sebastien Hoeness (now in charge at Stuttgart), Jaissle found what he had been missing. "I felt joy back in life," he says simply.

He climbed quickly. Trophy wins at Red Bull Salzburg and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli followed, and a senior Newcastle source told the BBC that from the first meeting, the club felt he was the right man to replace Eddie Howe.

A turbulent start on Tyneside

The start has been anything but straightforward. Jaissle had three weeks to prepare for Liverpool on the opening weekend. Captain Bruno Guimarães was close to completing a £75m move to Arsenal. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali had already gone. Newcastle ultimately made eight signings — all aged 24 or under — transforming one of the league's most experienced squads into one of its youngest almost overnight.

Despite that upheaval, plus a run of injuries to key players, Newcastle have lost just one of their opening seven competitive fixtures: a 4-1 defeat at Leeds United in the League Cup (a competition in which the hosts had rested several players). In the Premier League, they currently sit ninth.

The numbers, though, show the rough edges plainly. Newcastle have made the most errors leading to shots — 12 — in the Premier League this season. At the other end, they have averaged just over three efforts on target per match in the top flight. For a head coach who prizes aggressive, vertical football, there is clearly work still to do.

Jaissle accepts pre-season was "so short and packed with friendly matches we couldn't change", which has made it harder to embed his ideas. He has described the process of getting his style into the players' heads as "tougher than expected". But he insists the approach will "work anywhere", and those around the club have been struck by his intensity from day one.

Settled in Newcastle

The 38-year-old has moved out of a hotel and into a permanent home on Tyneside. He says he "really loves the fans and the people here". Given everything that shaped him before he arrived — the tumour, the knee, the retirement, the two-week decision that changed his entire trajectory — a tough start to a Premier League reign probably registers as a manageable obstacle.

Frequently asked

What illness did Matthias Jaissle have as a child?
Jaissle had a tumour in his neck at the age of five that left him unable to move it. He has said the experience taught him the importance of health and gave him a perspective on overcoming adversity.
Why did Matthias Jaissle retire from playing football?
Jaissle suffered a serious knee injury at the age of 20 while at Hoffenheim, just as he felt a Germany call-up was within reach. He tried to recover for several years but ultimately retired in 2014.
How has Matthias Jaissle started as Newcastle United manager?
Newcastle have won six of their opening seven matches in all competitions under Jaissle, with their only defeat being a 4-1 loss at Leeds United in the League Cup. In the Premier League they sit ninth, though the club have recorded the most errors leading to shots in the division so far this season.