Newcastle United coach makes ‘jealousy’ comment after Jude Bellingham photo goes viral

Tindall has been the subject of much attention on social media this month, ironically started by a Twitter account named ‘Jason Tindall desperate to be centre of attention (@jasontindall_)’. The account posted photos and videos of the Newcastle No. 2 posing alongside head coachEddie Howe on the touchline, shaking opposing manager’s hands before Howe and being front and centre in post-match team photos.

While Newcastle fans have grown used to Tindall’s position next to Howe on the sidelines and enthusiastic wide-mouthed grin in the dressing room photos, it gathered plenty of traction with opposing fans and became somewhat of a social media craze ahead of the match.

Teams such as Borussia Dortmund got in on the action, doctoring a picture of midfield star Jude Bellingham to include Tindall watching on in the background. BT Sport also previewed Newcastle’s match at Leeds United using a graphic featuring photos exclusively of Tindall, even going to the lengths of blurring out head coach Eddie Howe.

But Tindall hasn’t taken things personally and actually feels it is a ‘compliment’ to the job he and Howe are doing at Newcastle.

“It did make me laugh when I first found out about it and [his ‘nickname’] Mad Dog,” Tindall said. “The haters love to hate but it just makes me laugh.

“It’s a compliment to Newcastle — it’s a rival a lot of other clubs don’t want. I’m thick-skinned enough now not to take anything personally.

“A lot of people like to hate and there’s a lot of jealousy out there. A lot of people don’t like Newcastle challenging at the top.

“Long may that continue, whether the stick does or not, who knows but there’s been a lot of love from Newcastle fans.”

Tindall added: “How it comes around I am not too sure. I did nothing different to what I’ve done in the last 15 years we have been together.

“[Some people] don’t like the fact Newcastle are now going to the Champions League. They’ve got to take it out on somebody and they’ve taken it out on me, but I take it with a pinch of salt.”

Tindall has worked alongside Howe for the majority of his footballing career. They were defensive partners at Bournemouth between 1998 and 2002 and then again from 2004 to 2006 before joining forces in the Dean Court dugout in 2008.

At the time, The Cherries were facing sigificant off-field difficulties having been handed a -17 point deduction leaving the club rock bottom of the Football League. But Howe and Tindall took Bournemouth from the foot of League Two to the Premier League in just seven years, over two separate spells.

And the pair have now taken Newcastle from the foot of the Premier League to the Champions League in just 18-months.

“We had a little moment at the end of the Leicester game because everyone knows where we’ve come from,” Tindall admitted. “You could not write a movie about it. We’ve done it the hard way and we’ve earned our stripes.

“Bournemouth started on -17 points and were bottom of League Two. Fighting for our lives and having to finance a lot of things ourselves.

“All that time spent on the road, all the hard yards and all the hard graft we’ve done to achieve something like this makes it extra special.

“That’s what we were saying, can you believe we’re in the Champions League from where we’ve come from? It’s times like this where you pinch yourself and go, ‘You know what, it has been an incredible journey’.”