Jason Tindall has spoken out about being known as the Premier League`s “most irritating man.”
Tindall, 47, stood alongside Eddie Howe as Newcastle celebrated their first major trophy in 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup against Liverpool.
Howe`s assistant has been a loyal partner to the former Bournemouth manager for 17 years, a quality often considered rare in modern football.
They began their managerial journey together at Bournemouth when the club faced relegation from League Two, “because there was no one else who would do it.”
Initially, their relationship was purely professional, as teammates at Bournemouth, without a close friendship outside of football.
However, Tindall notes that they`ve worked side-by-side daily, sharing an office from 8 am to 6 pm. He jokes that he has “spent more time with Eddie than anyone else in my life,” even more than with their wives.
Despite this close partnership, Tindall has become known for getting under the skin of rival fans.
His brash and confrontational touchline manner has earned him the nickname “Mad Dog.”
He often finds himself in the spotlight during pitch-side incidents, regardless of whether he was initially involved.
In an interview, Tindall admitted that he enjoys his role as a master of football mind games.
He commented on his “Mad Dog” nickname: “I don’t exactly know what that Mad Dog thing is or why it came about. It’s probably to do with the way I am on the sidelines.”
“I’m very passionate, I’ll do anything to win, and that’s probably a good thing. Eddie isn’t very emotional on the touchline, and I think it is important that I am the way I am.”
“If I wasn’t, that is something he would probably have to be, and there is so much other stuff that is important on a match day that he needs to focus on. I take that side of things away.”
“When he was younger, Eddie used to get much more involved in those arguments, but it has happened naturally, it’s me who does it.”
“I very rarely think I’ve crossed the line. I will vent my frustration if I’m not happy with certain things. I don’t think I’m disrespectful.”
“Obviously, the opposition want to win too, and sometimes they will say things that I don’t agree with. I will let that be known. If I’m there to be that person to have an argument, that is what I’m going to do.”
Tindall is responsible for Newcastle`s defensive strategy, training, and set-piece design this season.
Statistically, Newcastle`s defense is among the league`s best, with only six teams conceding fewer goals.
When asked about his public image outside of Newcastle, where he is not universally liked, Tindall stated he is unconcerned about upsetting people: “I do not give a s*** what people think.”
He clarified: “It’s not my intention to attract attention if that makes sense.”
“People say I’ve got too high a profile for an assistant manager, how that has come about, but again, I don’t take any notice of it or think I’m going to do this to gain more attention.”
“The outside world can say what they say, but it’s just me. I just go about my business.”
“This isn’t new, and Ed will say the same, the way I am at Newcastle is exactly the same as I was at Bournemouth.”
“It’s part of my character, I don’t care what people think [including opposition managers].”
“I know who I am, the job I do, and the influence I have over a lot of things. And the only thing I care about is doing my job the best I can for Newcastle United.”
“I don’t care if I’m upsetting people along the way. People will probably judge the way I look, what I wear, and how I behave. None of this is new to me.”
“The reality is I do not give a s*** what people think and what people say because I’m confident in my own skin, I’m confident in what I do.”
“If you don’t know me, what you think doesn’t matter in the slightest.”
Regarding his relationship with Howe, Tindall said: “We are different personalities, completely different characters.”
“He’s an introvert, I’m the extrovert, that’s obvious, but we have an excellent working relationship. We are totally honest with each other.”
“We have different opinions, we disagree, but I will always respect that he has the final say.”
“Whatever arguments we have, it stays behind closed doors, and when we step out of the office, we speak as one. I will always back his decision. That’s important.”
“That is the loyalty I have to him and have had for many, many years. He trusts me, we trust each other implicitly. I’m incredibly loyal to Eddie, he gets the best out of me, and I hope I bring the best out of him.”
“We see football the same way, we want to play the same way. We instinctively know what the other person wants, what they are thinking. Our principles are the same.”
“As a football brain, we think the same. We know what a top manager Eddie is, but there is a lot of pressure on him, the media, the expectations, the football decisions, I’m here to support him.”
“You need people around you that you can trust, people you can lean on, and we have that relationship.”
“If he’s having a bad day, and look, he’s got a lot better at dealing with those the more experienced he has become, but it’s my job to lift him when it is needed.”
“It’s my job to take some of that pressure away.”
Tindall acknowledged that he and Howe are not “friends” in the traditional sense, but they rely on each other for professional success.
He likened their relationship to a “good marriage,” supportive but not extending to socializing outside of work.
Tindall briefly stepped into the manager`s role at Bournemouth in 2020 after Howe`s departure but returned to his assistant position when they reunited at Newcastle three years ago.
Tindall believes Newcastle is “the perfect football club for us,” as they aim to revive the entertaining style of Kevin Keegan`s 1990s teams.
Reflecting on winning the cup, Tindall added: “Winning the [Carabao] cup final, it meant more to me to give the city what it always wanted than for me as a personal achievement.”
“It’s a city that does that to you. It has brought something out of me, it has tapped into my personality because Ed and I have that same passion. It is almost life and death here, and that is how we see the game too.”
He concluded: “When you win one, you want more. The great teams go again, that is what separates them from the good ones.”
“We want to build a great team here. You know after we won at Wembley, it was a very emotional moment for us both.”
“To have started at the bottom with Bournemouth, to go through the leagues together, and to have finally won a trophy, I think we both appreciated how special that was and how much we had achieved together.”
“I wouldn’t want to have done it any other way or with anyone else than Ed. We have been on a remarkable journey together that we don’t want to stop.”
