Newcastle United head coach Matthias Jaissle has described himself as "the eye in the storm" as he faces the most difficult week of his short tenure following Monday's 1-0 defeat to Everton.
The 38-year-old, who has been in charge for three months, has repeatedly warned there would be "ups and downs" this season, but the loss at Goodison Park extended the Magpies' run to four defeats in five matches since the last international break.
Players Confused?
Jaissle's post-match press conference on Monday raised questions when he revealed that the long balls his players were playing were not what they had been working on or instructed to implement. That has led to suggestions that players are confused about what they are being asked to do.
However, Jaissle was keen to stress that the message is clear, his door remains open for feedback from players, and he insists it remains a united front on the training ground.
Focus on What He Can Control
With external noise and scrutiny mounting after Monday's defeat, Jaissle said he can only control what happens internally.
"I try to focus on the things I can influence and that's not the rumours and the speculation and things which are not true," Jaissle said. "I'm really consistent in my approach. I try to handle the things what I can handle, what I can influence and try to be the eye in the storm."
"There's a lot of storm at the moment. So if you're within, then you don't feel it at that level, but you can oversee it and you need to be clear and you need to improve the things that you can improve. At the moment we have some aspects where we need to do better and that remains our full focus."
Open Door Policy
Jaissle insisted that communication with his players remains open and that there is no blame culture within the squad.
"We listen a lot. It's not only talking. We listen a lot. We offer them the open door. If anything's unclear you can drop in and talk about it. It's not to point any fingers, not at all. Sometimes you are willing to do something and are keen to do it but on that day it doesn't work," he said.
"You may find the wrong decisions and that was the case. We spoke about it clearly, analysed it in detail and talk about it. There was never a question. We have such a good group and good relations - the door is always open."
Club Support
Pressure has ramped up this week as Newcastle have trended downwards at an alarming rate since returning from the October international break. But Jaissle said the support he has received from the club's decision makers has reassured him that everyone remains aligned internally.
"So as I try to not follow the things that are written, but of course here and there you get some comments," Jaissle explained. "But the nice part is that I got even more the feeling from within the club how committed they are, and that's something really important in a week where there are speculations or rumours."
"This is something we cannot influence, so that was good. Good to know. Good to feel. But I try again, also in these aspects, not being distracted. There's no need for meetings. You feel that in their every day work, we're working here on the training ground, a couple of metres away everyday, from the morning till the evening, and this is something you feel then, and you get here and there a message."
"And that just shows me that everyone believes in the long-term project and that everyone is also aware and realistic about the journey and where we are right now."
The proof will be in the pudding at Fulham on Saturday, and Jaissle insists that is what he can control internally. Without results in the short term, the howls from the fairground rides will not be the only screams in earshot of Newcastle's training ground.
