Jason Tindall will manage Newcastle United for the remainder of the season, as Eddie Howe recovers from pneumonia. Howe, who remains hospitalized, will be replaced by Tindall for matches against Crystal Palace at St. James' Park on Wednesday and Aston Villa on Saturday. Tindall is prepared to manage the team for a longer period if necessary.
Given the variable recovery times for pneumonia, with some cases requiring months of absence from work, Newcastle is prioritizing Howe's complete recovery for the start of next season. It is possible Tindall will lead the team for the final seven games as Newcastle seeks Champions League qualification. A victory against Palace would place Newcastle above Nottingham Forest in third place.
"There is no exact timeframe [for Howe's return]," Tindall stated on Tuesday. "As and when called upon, I am here to step in. Eddie is in the best possible hands, and everything will be guided by [doctors] on a day-to-day basis. He will only return when he is ready, and this will be determined by the medical team."
Tindall revealed he has not spoken to Howe since his hospitalization last Friday. The two have only exchanged brief text messages. Tindall hopes to speak with Howe "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."
Having played alongside Howe at Bournemouth and served as his assistant at both Bournemouth and now Newcastle for much of the past two decades, Tindall finds the current situation unusual. "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, the better 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, assisted by first-team coach Graeme Jones, has challenged the squad to maintain 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."
Tindall remained non-committal regarding reports linking Newcastle with the signing of 18-year-old Málaga winger Antonio Cordero, who is a free agent. Cordero has made 51 appearances for Málaga, scoring six goals.
