Jason Tindall is ready to take charge of Newcastle for the remainder of the season as Eddie Howe recovers from pneumonia. With Newcastle’s manager still in hospital, his assistant will lead the team against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park on Wednesday night and at Aston Villa on Saturday, but, if necessary, Tindall is prepared to deputise for longer.
Given that recovery times from assorted types of pneumonia vary considerably, with some patients requiring months rather than weeks off work, Newcastle are anxious Howe does not rush his return and concentrates on being fully fit for the start of next season. Accordingly, it is quite possible Tindall will assume responsibility for the final seven games of the season as Newcastle seek Champions League qualification. A point against Palace would take the Carabao Cup winnersabove Nottingham Forest into third.
“There is no exact timeframe,” said Tindall of Howe’s return. “As and when called upon I am here to step into the shoes. Eddie’s in the best possible hands and everything will be guided by [doctors] on a day-to-day basis. He will only come back when he is ready and it will be on the guidance of the people taking care of him.”
Tindall revealed he has not spoken to Howe since his admission to hospital late last Friday as the 47-year-old was only well enough to exchange brief text messages, but he hopes to have a conversation with his longstanding friend “in the next couple of days”. “The most important thing for the manager is to rest and recover and not worry about anything other than getting better,” he said. “I would imagine, that in the next couple of days, if he’s feeling better, there will be dialogue.”
After spending part of his playing career alongside Howe as they formed Bournemouth’s central defensive partnership before serving as his assistant at Bournemouth and now Newcastle for much of the past two decades, Tindall finds life without him strange. “It’s really difficult,” he said. “Especially as Eddie’s never missed more than a day or two in the whole time we’ve been working together. It’s a new situation for me, it’s a new situation for the players and the staff. But your health is the most important thing and the thing that almost gives you comfort is that he’s in the best hands possible.
“He’s not a silly guy. Eddie will take notice of what’s said to him and he’ll make sure he’s fully recovered when he comes back. The sooner he’s back it’s the best for everybody, but only at a time when he feels he’s ready to return and he’s 100% ready to lead the team.”
Tindall, who will be assisted by the first-team coach Graeme Jones, has challenged the squad to preserve their high standards. “The players will have to stand up and be counted in the remaining games, whether the manager’s here or not,” he said. “The players know the expectations, the standards and it’s down to everyone to maintain them.”
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Tindall remained coy regarding reports in Spain that Newcastle have won the race to sign the highly regarded 18-year-old Málaga winger Antonio Cordero after seeing off competition from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Cordero has made 51 appearances for Málaga, scoring six goals, but after declining to sign a new contract in Andalucía becomes a free agent in June and has been talking to clubs since January.