Jason Tindall admits it’s been ‘really difficult’ to see his close friend and Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe battling pneumonia in hospital.
Premier League football club Newcastle confirmed on Monday that Howe is still recovering after being diagnosed with the lung issue.
Howe was absent from Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday and will also miss upcoming matches against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa this week.
It was first revealed on Saturday that Howe was struggling with an illness, with the 47-year-old Englishman having been in hospital since Friday.
Newcastle’s assistant manager Tindall – who has worked as Howe’s No.2 for almost two decades – was asked in a press conference on Tuesday what the last few days had been like for him on a personal level.
Jason Tindall shares emotional reaction to Eddie Howe’s illness
‘It’s really difficult,’ Tindall said. ‘Especially when it’s someone you’ve worked so closely with for such a long time. He’s never missed more than a day or two in all the time we’ve been working together.
‘It’s a new situation for me. But the most important thing, and what gives you some comfort, is that he’s in the best possible hands.’
Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall’s long-standing partnership
Tindall and Howe have known each other for a total of 27 years, with the duo having first met when they were playing together at AFC Bournemouth.
The pair both played as defenders – and when Howe became Bournemouth manager in 2009 – Tindall was named as his assistant as they successfully kept the club in League Two, avoiding relegation on a -17 points deduction, before leading the south coast side to promotion in the following season.
Howe left Bournemouth to manage Burnley in 2011 and took Tindall with him as they continued their managerial partnership in Lancashire.
When Howe returned to Bournemouth for his second spell as manager in 2012, Tindall was again by Howe’s side all the way up to 2020 as they incredibly guided the Cherries from League One to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history, keeping them there for five seasons.
After a brief spell apart, they linked up again at Newcastle in 2021 and having been working together ever since, helping the Magpies clinch the Carabao Cup trophy this term.
What is Pneumonia?
According to the NHS website, pneumonia is a lung inflammation usually caused by an infection.
Most people recover in two to four weeks but babies, older adults, and those with heart or lung issues may need hospital care.
Symptoms of pneumonia can include:
- a cough – you may cough up yellow or green mucus
- shortness of breath
- a high temperature
- chest pain
- an aching body
- feeling very tired
- loss of appetite
- making wheezing noises when you breathe
- feeling confused
Minimal contact as Eddie Howe focuses on recovery
Tindall says he has been ‘texting’ Howe since he was admitted to hospital but admits contact has been minimal as the latter focuses on his recovery.
‘[We exchanged] a few text messages yesterday,’ Tindall added. ‘It’s been minimal contact really.
‘I think the most important thing now is for him to rest and recover and probably not to worry too much about anything other than making sure he is recovered and getting better as quickly as possible.
‘I’d imagine in the next couple of days, if he’s feeling better, we’ll have a little bit more dialogue. But as things stand there’s been minimal contact.
‘When health is involved, that comes first and foremost above everything else.
‘I’m sure when he does return he’s ease himself back into the role but it’s important when he does come back that he’s able to lead the team like he always does.
‘Hopefully that’s soon. It’s a day-by-day thing. He’s in the best possible hands right now. Hopefully we can have him here as our leader as soon as possible but only when it’s 100 per cent right to do so.’