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IN A BLACK AND WHITE TOWN

As rallying cries for the dawn of a golden era go, “I am quite optimistic” is not “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. It did not fit the “I think I am a special one” template set 22 years ago by Netflix’s latest documentary subject. Nor did Matthias Jaissle’s unveiling as Newcastle manager meet the pre-match billing of “fire” and “a rock star” that the club’s chief suit had promised the journalists in attendance. Though, considering the summer of tumult on Tyneside, it was a sensible path to take. Expectations among the Toon Army have certainly lowered since Geordies sunk Tin and donned tea-towel headdresses in celebration of Mike Ashley’s departure and the arrival of a consortium underpinned by the petrodollars of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. As it turned out, Lionel Messi neither ended up mowing the pitch nor selling the pies.

Depending on your perspective, that Newcastle have not yet been crowned Premier League and Bigger Cup champions is down to the servile football authorities bowing down to the hated red cartel or that day of wild celebration being one of false hope. The truth lies probably somewhere in between. A number of missteps pockmarked the last season of Eddie Howe’s reign. The “here we go” arrivals were nowhere near up to snuff. It should, though, be readily accepted that Newcastle enjoyed a good run under Howe, including an actual trophy and two rides on the Bigger Cup fun bus.

The Saudi connection has not paved St James’ Park with black gold (or Texas tea as the Beverly Hillbillies once had it). A pitfall of becoming the plaything of a top-level geopolitical operator is that those geopolitics may get in the way. Gulf states have a few things on their plates at the moment, and the interests of that investment fund stretch beyond a football club 3,000 miles from Riyadh. A new phase is entered; Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães are gone. Some might say the Saudis have lost interest, though Jaissle’s arrival from Al-Ahli, another club in the Pif portfolio, suggests hands are still on the tiller.

As for the new manager, the verdict was that he spoke very well at his premiere. “We were looking at each other with smiles and goosebumps,” he cooed, in describing his and his assistants’ first look at the stadium. Realism was offered in admitting a “vacuum” now those assets have been flogged off but there was no preview of the touchline histrionics various profiles have promised. Jaissle also followed the recent but now ingrained tradition of shaking each of his future interrogators’ hands. A classy gesture? A power move? Take your pick. Howe’s departure, and the loss of those big names, has returned Newcastle to the state of flux that was long their usual state of existence. How long can Jaissle’s calm and collected deportment last? How long can measured optimism sustain?

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Scott Murray at 8pm BST for live updates on PSG 3-1 Aston Villa in the Uefa Super (Duper) Cup final.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“You’re not used to so little rain, are you? I love to do some gardening. Back home, everyone has their own vegetables and it’s just better, it tastes better. Being away from home and away from family … it can be quite lonely sometimes if you come home from training, so it was really nice to have a garden … it’s not too much effort, it’s just a nice hobby” – in the latest edition of Moving the Goalposts, Manchester United goalkeeper Janina Leitzig tells Tom Garry that she has moved from runner beans to running drills as the season approaches.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

Bob Cushion (yesterday’s letters), your football club was caught cheating. Your club deserves everything it gets. Oh and no, I’m not a Pompey fan” – Darren Dodd.

As a Wolves fan may I express gratitude to Wrexham and Southampton for preventing us from starting the season in last place. Although still in the relegation zone I remain moderately optimistic” – Rob Taylor

Reading Big Website’s League One preview I was reminded that Stockport County have replaced the legendary Dave Challinor with one Jimmy McNulty. Does that mean the Hatters’ promotion challenge will once again go down to The Wire? (with excuses if this has been mentioned previously)” – Duncan Roberts.

Re: David Maddock (yesterday’s letters) – please can you stop publishing letters written by my husband? It’s annoying and he’s not as good as Noble Francis. And he’s had more than me now!” – Katie Maddock.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Duncan Roberts, who gets some Football Weekly merch. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.

CORINTHIANS SPIRIT

When Memphis Depay joined Corinthians in 2024, Football’s Daily’s cold heart briefly started pumping. It’s so unusual for a top European player to join one of Brazil’s greatest clubs that the romantic in us was desperate for it to succeed. Alas, the relationship between Depay and Corinthians has all gone a bit Albert Square. Corinthians released Depay at the end of his two-year contract for financial reasons, saying it was “a difficult decision … but undoubtedly necessary for the future of Corinthians”. Depay claims the club reneged on an agreement to extend his contract. “In the upcoming days I will speak publicly,” he wrote publicly, “but rest assured that I will not leave this unacceptable behaviour unsanctioned.” Let’s hope it doesn’t descend into the kind of end-of-relationship slanging match usually reserved for the bowels of the Queen Vic.

NEWS, BITS AND BOBS

Lionel Messi is unsure how long he will continue playing football after the death of his father, Jorge, last week. “I don’t know what I’m going to ⁠do without you,” said Messi on Instagram. “I only played football and now I have quite a few doubts about whether I’m going to keep doing it for much ⁠longer.”

Barcelona have offered around £51m for Rodri, who wants to complete football all over again with a new club. Manchester City suits are mulling it over. Or rather they will do when they stop spluttering at Chelsea’s £120m valuation of Enzo Fernández.

Arne Slot is no longer in contention to be the new Netherlands manager after deciding he wants his next job to be in club football. There are growing rumours that – and you’ll like this – Bobby Martínez will land on his feet at KNVB Towers just before the music stops.

Manchester City have signed inaptly named goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli from Marseille for £1.7m.

New Manchester United midfielder Youri Tielemans is happy with how he has adjusted to Michael Carrick’s tactical needs and wants. “It is just smelling football,” whiffed Tielemans, “and that is what I have been doing from when I was young at Anderlecht.”

And the start of the new La Liga season could be affected by a suspected fungus outbreak. Celta Vigo are scheduled to host Osasuna on Sunday but have reportedly asked for the match to be postponed. La Liga’s, erm, fungus department is en route to Vigo to inspect the pitch.

STILL WANT MORE?

Premier League season previews, come and get your Premier League season previews! Today: Brighton and Chelsea.

Championship angst: why the sense of Football League rejuvenation is not universal. By Dominic Booth.

The Saudi Pro League is trying to to move on from its era of ageing megastars but the big names still loom, writes John Duerden.

Which footballer has played for the most clubs in their career? The Knowledge knows.

And in the latest Mill … Donald Trump may soon be belting out Chas & Dave songs on the White House lawn, because Spurs are reportedly keen to sign Folarin Balogun from Monaco.

MEMORY LANE

12 August 1989: Ian Rush and Tony Adams battle for possession during the 1989 Charity Shield, played at Wembley on this day 37 years ago. Less than three months after their epic title decider at Anfield, Liverpool and Arsenal got the new season up and running. Peter Beardsley scored the only goal for a dominant Liverpool, who would go on to regain the title from Arsenal that season. In the Guardian, David Lacey noted that the status of the match was starting to diminish. “The FA Charity Shield is now more of a pre-season finale than a pipe opener for the main event,” he said. The name was changed to the Community Shield in 2002, largely because the FA couldn’t even organise a fund-raising exercise properly, but Lacey’s assessment of the event holds true to this day.

TIGER MOSQUITOS: DO ONE!