Jason Tindall on Newcastle's 4-1 man Utd win in absence of Eddie Howe

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Jason Tindall on Newcastle's 4-1 man Utd win in absence of Eddie Howe  13/04/2025  St James' Park, Newcastle, UK

Transcript

00:00Yes, it certainly was. I said to the players before the game to go and deliver a performance

00:24that the manager would be proud of.

00:26How is he? Have you got any sort of updates at home now?

00:32No, no updates since obviously not really had the opportunity to speak to him properly,

00:38just received a text message before I come to do the media.

00:42So I'm sure as soon as there's any update then you guys will probably be the first to know.

00:48How proud are you of the players in the way they've responded?

00:52Because it would have been a slightly strange week before, but that is everything that the team should be.

00:59Super proud of the players. Not surprised because we've got a fantastic group of players,

01:08we've got some great leaders within that.

01:11And it's at times like this when the manager is not there, when he's not there to lead the team,

01:15that you have to step up individually and collectively.

01:18And everybody certainly did that today. So really, really proud of the players to go out and deliver the performance that they did today

01:25against a good Manchester United team. I'm sure everyone would be proud of them.

01:29Thank you. Thanks Luke. Go to George, Chris and then Craig. George.

01:32Hi, how are you guys? Can you explain a little bit about your role today? What's different for you?

01:41Yeah, obviously it's different when you're stepping in to lead the team in the absence of the manager.

01:47It's always going to be slightly different. This week was slightly different having to prepare the team.

01:53So, you know, but we've worked together for so long now. We've been together for 17 years.

02:00We know the expectations and the demands set upon ourselves individually and what we set upon the rest of the group.

02:07And it's then down to the players to take that information on board and go out and deliver a performance.

02:12And, you know, they certainly went out and did that today.

02:15He obviously missed his first game, your first game, but was intrinsically involved throughout that whole game.

02:23Did he have any involvement at all in picking the team, any part of that?

02:28No, I think the team probably picked itself in recent performances, but, you know, where he was ill

02:34and he was unable to be in, he put his trust in myself and the work and the rest of the support staff

02:43to go out and, you know, sort of deliver the performance.

02:47He trusted that, you know, if decisions needed to be made and tweaks needed to be made,

02:55that we'd make the right choices and make the right decisions.

02:58And, you know, thankfully that happened today.

03:00And as I say, you know, I'm sure he'd be really, really proud of the players' performance.

03:06Chris?

03:07Jason, on Friday you were saying at that point you thought Benetti would be here today.

03:12What point did that sort of change and that you realised you were going to have to lead the team?

03:16Probably Saturday morning.

03:19Chris, obviously, he got taken into hospital on Friday evening.

03:25He was poorly and, you know, sort of from that moment on,

03:28it was very unlikely that he wouldn't be here to lead the team today, as I say.

03:33But, you know, he put his trust in myself and the rest of the group to go out there and, you know, to make the right calls,

03:42to hopefully deliver the performance that we did today.

03:44And, you know, thankfully we did that and I'm sure he'd be super proud of everybody.

03:48And all the players who have said, obviously, very, very positive things and well wishes.

03:53And then did they come to you and ask how he was and then try to get what he did for you?

03:57Obviously, in a moment like that when your leader's not there,

04:00especially someone like Eddie, you know, we've worked together for 17 years

04:04and, you know, I don't think he's ever missed more than a day or two during that time.

04:09It's only the second ever game that I've had to sort of step in and fill them shoes

04:14and both of them was here in Newcastle, Brentford and then again today.

04:17So that just goes to show that, you know, he must have been sort of unwell

04:22to not be able to be able to lead the team.

04:25But, you know, super proud and the most important thing for us today was to deliver a performance

04:31that he'd be proud of and the lad certainly did that.

04:34Greg?

04:35Jason, this seems to have been a really difficult 48 hours for you.

04:38You know, you're not just stepping in for a touch like Barney here at Eddie.

04:41He's not just a colleague, he's a long-time friend to me as well.

04:45Have you been able to seek any reassurance from him within the conversation,

04:49the text conversation he's just had half an hour ago?

04:52Has there been any other contact?

04:54No, we've not had any contact for a couple of days other than the sort of odd message.

05:00He put his trust in myself and the work and the support staff to make the right calls

05:07and do what we felt was right.

05:10And, you know, credit and testament to Eddie himself for that.

05:15But as I say, we've worked together for a long time now.

05:18We know the expectations we put on ourselves in the group.

05:21And the most important thing for myself and for the players was, as I said,

05:27we went out and delivered a performance he would be proud of and I'm sure he will win you that.

05:31Did you personally have a lot of commotion today?

05:33I guess I'll touch on him, he is not just a colleague.

05:36No, of course.

05:38You know, I sent him a couple of messages today.

05:42You know, he was hugely missed, certainly for me.

05:47As I say, it's only the second time in 17 years that we've not been side by side and I did miss him.

05:53You miss your leader when he's not there.

05:55But testament and credit to everybody else to be able to step into them big shoes to fill.

06:00You know, he's one of the best managers around.

06:04And, you know, credit to everybody to be able to go out and deliver the performance that they did.

06:09And as I say, I'm sure he'd be proud of that.

06:12Do you expect there will still be a charge on Wednesday as it stands?

06:16Not sure, Craig, as yet.

06:19We've not spoken on the phone for a few days now.

06:23Obviously, you know, I was delighted to receive the message after the game

06:27and he was able to watch the game.

06:29So, you know, hopefully the result and the performance would have, you know,

06:33put a smile on his face and he'd be in good spirits.

06:36And the sooner the manager is back, the better for everybody.

06:39Thanks, Craig. We'll go to Mark, Lee and then to Don, please.

06:42You will have heard the crowd singing Eddie's name as well.

06:45It's obvious how much the people in Newcastle were ready.

06:50Was that an emotional moment as well hearing them sing?

06:54Of course, you know, Eddie's top, top manager.

06:57One of the best that there is out there.

06:59And I'll stick by that.

07:01I've always believed it.

07:03You know, and I'm so pleased that the success,

07:08certainly at this football club that he's brought.

07:11So it was an emotional moment, of course.

07:14You know, he means the world to myself, the rest of the staff, the players.

07:19And, you know, the sooner he's better and able to come back to work,

07:22then, you know, the better for everybody.

07:24What does it say about the team, the leaders you've got in the group,

07:28that they were able to play like that?

07:30You know, like you said, they haven't had their lead in.

07:33Full testament to the group of players that we've got.

07:35You know, it's times like these when you have to stand up and be counted.

07:38When your leader's not there to lead,

07:40then you need other people to come to the front and to lead

07:43and set the examples that they need to,

07:46to be able to go and deliver a performance to win the game.

07:51And, you know, full credit to the lads for going out there and doing that.

07:54Thanks, Mark.

07:55Me?

07:56Jason, you can move to third place.

07:59It could be Crystal Palace.

08:01You're in exactly the right mode according to the running now.

08:05Yeah.

08:06At the start of the season, we wanted to try and finish as high up the league as we could.

08:12We knew it would be incredibly difficult because there's so many good teams in the Premier League.

08:18It's, you know, it's probably the best league in the world.

08:21And every result that you get in the Premier League is incredibly tough.

08:25There's so many good sides.

08:26And you have to be at your best week in, week out to be able to do that.

08:30And full credit to the players.

08:32You know, certainly after the emotions and the high of the cup final to come back after that

08:37and deliver the performances and the results that they have done.

08:40Full credit to them.

08:41But we know now we've got an important game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

08:45Seven cup finals left and we have to go out and deliver the same type of performance like today.

08:50You've got Joel in and off just as things get a little bit spacey.

08:55Yeah.

08:56You know, Joey is a phenomenal player.

08:58You know, what he gives the team is passion, his desire, his commitment.

09:02You know, it's there for everybody to see.

09:04So it was important at that stage that, you know, we was able to bring off a few of the players to rest their legs.

09:11We've got a busy week coming up.

09:12And Joey's a passionate guy.

09:14As you say, he's on nine bookings as well.

09:16So it was important that he come up for that reason.

09:19And the fans today, the way you started the game with Dan Virgil on that tackle and setting the torch.

09:27It seemed like there was synergy around the runs, didn't it?

09:31Yeah, there was.

09:32And as I say, when I say everybody plays their part, it's not just the players.

09:36It's the coaching staff, the support staff.

09:39But it's also 53,000 fans here in James' part.

09:43We know what a difference they make and how they can influence a team.

09:47And they were certainly right behind the lads today.

09:50Obviously, we have to give them that opportunity to get behind us.

09:53We wanted to be aggressive today.

09:55We certainly did that, especially the second half.

09:58And, you know, that helped.

09:59And, you know, the fans played a huge part in that.

10:01Excellent. Dominic at back, then Kieran.

10:03You just touched on the second half.

10:05Obviously, going in one morning half the time, what was the message to the players that the club had a great reaction so soon after that?

10:12I had to make a couple of adjustments to our press.

10:15I felt we were probably a few yards off.

10:18Certainly, down the left-hand side, wasn't getting close enough to be able to regain the ball and to stop Manchester United's forward passes.

10:27And, you know, fought in the second half.

10:29We closed them gaps and the distances were a lot shorter.

10:32It was a little bit more aggressive.

10:34And I certainly thought that that helped us, especially in the second half.

10:38We were able to have a lot more regains, create a few chances, and off the back of it, we scored a couple of good goals.

10:43Kieran, I took a few remarks, he went off.

10:45Is he OK?

10:46And just how important has he been in this recent moment for five minutes?

10:50He's been really, really important, Kieran.

10:53He's a fantastic player, leader, character.

10:56But, you know, he come off, he's fine.

10:59But we're just protecting him a little bit at that stage of the game.

11:01We've got a busy week coming up.

11:02And, you know, when you get into the last ten minutes and you fall one up,

11:06you sort of get that luxury to be able to sort of take a few players off and save their legs a little bit.

11:11OK, last one.

11:12Kieran, please.

11:13I just assume that the two of the manager are proud of being a really powerful motivation for you guys?

11:18You'd like to think so.

11:21You know, I think everybody knows the commitment, the desire, the sacrifices the manager makes day in, day out to make everybody better.

11:31So to go out there and deliver a performance that he would have wanted and that he would be proud of was really, really important.

11:39And, you know, as I said before, the lads certainly went out there and delivered a performance that I'm sure he'd be proud of.

11:45I imagine just something like this for you as a staff being closer together.

11:50I imagine you're already close, but this is something new for you guys, isn't it?

11:55Yeah, so we've worked together for a long time now and we're all very close.

12:01We all know the expectations on each other, staff and players.

12:07And it's important that we stick to that and we don't drop below the standards that the manager would want

12:13and that we set ourselves and, you know, it was really important that everyone did that.

12:17They certainly did.

12:18And it contributed to today's performance.

12:20OK, thanks everybody.

12:22Features tomorrow. Cheers.

12:23Cheers, guys.

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