Newcastle: Matthias Jaissle learnt a lot about life after tumour aged five

Newcastle United currently lie in ninth place in the early stages of the Premier League season

"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 to be healthy and to follow your dream.

The former Hoffenheim defender even felt he was on the verge of a senior call up to the German national team at one stage, only to suffer a serious knee injury.

Jaissle refused to give up, and "kept the dream for a lot longer than the doctors did", but the setback ultimately curtailed his career and he retired a few years later in 2014.

"That makes you the person you are, whatever aspect it is, with the belief you can overcome every obstacle," he says.

This outlook gave Jaissle a head start in his second career, but he did not necessarily plan on being a coach. Not at first.

Jaissle was due to be redeployed in a new department every six weeks and started his placement as an assistant youth team coach to ex team-mate Sebastien Hoeness, who now manages Stuttgart.

It set Jaissle on the path to Newcastle. He climbed the coaching ladder and won trophies at Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.

"Since the first meeting, it was clear this was our guy," a senior Newcastle source says.

It was still a baptism of fire for the 38-year-old, who had never previously managed in the Premier League, after predecessor Eddie Howe stepped down.

Captain Bruno Guimaraes was about to follow Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali out of the exit door and complete a £75m move to Arsenal at the time.

"I think there were elements in games where we saw a lot of the things we were looking for," he says. "There were also phases in games where we were not happy and satisfied, so there's still a lot of potential that we can improve."