Newcastle United pre Luton Town press conference review

Shields Gazette

Dominic Scurr reflects on Jason Tindall's pre-match press conference ahead of Newcastle United's match against Luton Town at St James' Park on Saturday.

Transcript

00:00 Back here at the Newcastle United training ground where we've just been speaking to Jason

00:05 Tindall, not Eddie Howe this morning. Newcastle boss ill apparently but will be taking training

00:10 later today and is expected to be in the dugout for the match against Luton Town tomorrow

00:15 afternoon at St James' Park. So yeah, interesting speaking to Jason Tindall, different sort

00:20 of perspective on things. He was of course asked about his notoriety and reputation as

00:25 probably the most well-known number two in the Premier League, if not Europe to be honest.

00:32 Asked about the sort of touchline dynamic, the rules introduced. This season where only

00:38 one coaching staff member is allowed on the touchline whereas previously Eddie Howe and

00:43 Jason Tindall very rarely seen apart almost. Hard to separate them on the touchline but

00:48 this season slightly different dynamic. Jason Tindall said he thinks that rule was introduced

00:53 because of Newcastle and that dynamic but thinks they've been handling it very well

00:58 yet to see any bookings or being reprimanded a couple of times but no actual punishment

01:05 for breaking that rule this season. So been managing it alright and Jason Tindall was

01:12 asked of course about himself and how he's got almost a cult status of wanting to be

01:18 the centre of attention but he played that down as you'd expect him to almost. He said

01:24 things like it's just him being him, a lot of it is superstition, being next to Eddie

01:29 Howe wanting to shake opposition manager's hand, being front and centre in the team photos.

01:34 He said it's just a superstitious thing and it's just him being him. If people are going

01:39 to dislike him for being himself then there's not much he can do about it really. So yeah,

01:46 it was an interesting press conference in many ways. A lot of talk about Jason Tindall

01:51 but then a lot of talk about the positivity surrounding Newcastle United despite a very

01:56 quiet transfer window. Great result against Aston Villa on Tuesday night and hopefully

02:01 they can build on it against Luton Town tomorrow because I think a failure to build on it almost

02:06 puts Newcastle, it's two steps forward, one step back because you would have expected

02:11 Newcastle to beat Luton Town or you would expect Newcastle to beat Luton Town regardless

02:16 probably a surprise to see them beat Villa so convincingly in particular. So building

02:23 on that Villa win will be so important to Eddie Howe and his side as he returns to the

02:29 dugout, as we expect to see him back in the dugout tomorrow after battling a brief illness

02:35 but won't keep him out of training. I think maybe the transfer window and the fact that

02:40 this was our fifth press conference in seven days probably made him a little bit sick.

02:46 But Jason Tindall kept sort of true to form with Eddie Howe in terms of injury updates

02:52 which is probably the big takeaway from the press conference although take it with a huge

02:57 pinch of salt but Alexander Isak obviously the major blow from Tuesday night against

03:02 Aston Villa. Big doubts over him, could be facing a good few games out was initially

03:09 what was expected with a groin issue but Jason Tindall very much he did his best to play

03:14 that down he actually said Alexander Isak has improved day on day since the injury and

03:20 has a chance for being involved against Luton Town tomorrow. Whether that actually transpires

03:27 I'd be surprised if we see Alexander Isak tomorrow personally but Jason Tindall wouldn't

03:31 rule it out and he wouldn't rule out the likes of Callum Wilson, Harvey Bond said they're

03:36 very close would expect them to at least make the bench tomorrow. He even mentioned Joe

03:40 Willock he said he's a bit further behind the likes of Wilson and Bonds but has a chance

03:46 as does Jamal Lassell. So yeah I mean if all of those come off it's quite a lot of major

03:53 injury boosts for Newcastle in the squad all of a sudden looks very stronger, very stronger,

03:57 much stronger heading into the sort of final sort of 15, 16 games of the season. So yeah

04:05 big boost for Newcastle hopefully would expect to see at least one or two back I'd say Callum

04:11 Wilson, Harvey Bond the closest two if Alexander Isak is back that's great news because that

04:16 looked like a real it took the sheen off what was probably one of Newcastle's results of

04:21 the season certainly away from home, well I say that, 8-0 against Sheffield United wasn't

04:26 bad either but yeah looking a bit positive Jason Tindall that was the message a lot of

04:32 positivity around the recent results and the injury situation sort of clearing up at the

04:38 moment but the proof will be in the pudding tomorrow when that team news drops. But in

04:43 the meantime we'll have all the updates from Jason Tindall's press conference and all the

04:48 previews looking ahead to tomorrow's game at St James' Park back in the Premier League

04:55 against Luton Town over on the Shields Gazette and Mouth of the Tyne on Twitter. So yes please

05:02 if you like what we do just check out our stories myself Joe Buck will be at the game

05:10 tomorrow and we'll have all the updates coming from there and yeah we'll see you there.

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