Newcastle’s viral assistant Jason Tindall says ‘haters make me laugh’ after ‘attention-seeking mad dog’ label

JASON TINDALL doubts that Hollywood’s finest could write a script for his and Eddie Howe’s ‘incredible journey’.

While Howe would, of course, be handed the lead role, you would back ‘Mad Dog’ to steal the show.

GettyJason Tindall has hailed his journey with Eddie Howe[/caption]

PAHe has known Eddie Howe since 1998[/caption]

The Newcastle manager’s assistant was centre stage a fortnight ago when mocked across social media for looking — as the name of the viral Twitter account says — “desperate to be the centre of attention”.

Often spotted shaking the opposition gaffer’s hand before Howe and grinning widely at the front of every team snap, the “jealous haters” accuse Tindall of hogging the limelight.

But he is happy to take the stick, as he chuckles all the way to the Champions League — after Monday’s 0-0 draw with Leicester confirmed Toon’s return to the European elite after a 20-year exile.

Tindall, 45, said: “It did make me laugh when I found out about the nickname ‘Mad Dog’.

“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.”

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Tindall is the yin to Howe’s yang — spiky, extroverted, in your face and energetic bordering on hyperactive.

He is the perfect foil for steady Eddie, with their paths first crossing as team-mates at Bournemouth in 1998.

Howe said: “We didn’t really have a relationship. We’re really different people. But there’s a force when we come together that’s really powerful.”

They joined forces in the dugout in 2008, taking the cash-strapped Cherries from the depths of League Two to the Prem in seven years.

Howe has spoken about the 500-mile car journeys they would take in the early days scouting players — yet next term they will be jetting around Europe in the Champions League.

And Tindall added: “We had a little moment at the end of the Leicester game because everyone knows where we’ve come from.

“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.

ReutersThey worked together at Bournemouth[/caption]

GettyAnd have now led Newcastle to the Champions League[/caption]

“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’.”

Eighteen months ago Howe, laid low with Covid, had to watch his first game as Magpies chief  — 3-3 against Brentford — from a hotel as Tindall took charge at St James’ Park.

That point saw Newcastle slip to the bottom of the Premier League. Just 551 days later and they are in the Champions League.

And despite being taunted for stealing the spotlight, Tindall knows there is only one top dog.

He said: “Eddie is the leader of the group and nobody deserves it more. He’s an incredible manager. He works extremely hard with great attention to detail and that drives the best out of everyone, me included.

“I don’t think he gets the plaudits he deserves — he is up there with the best managers.

“What we’ve achieved this season is from our day-to-day work and the long hours we do, in terms of preparation to get the outcome we want.

“That’s probably been the strength of us both since we’ve been here.”

Iconic boss Sir Bobby Robson was the last to lead the Magpies into the Champions League.

Tindall added: “To be spoken of in the same breath is fantastic.

“It just goes to show what a great achievement it has been and hopefully we can continue to grow —  hopefully, this is just the start.”