Jason Tindall - the most misunderstood man in football?

Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall have spent more time with each other than with their own wives.

So it was rather fitting that the Newcastle United head coach likened the pair to a "married couple".

"I won't tell you who does what," he smiled on Friday. "But that's probably the best way of describing us."

From tasting defeat at Darlington in their first game, in 2009, to taking on Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League, Howe and Tindall have been together on the touchline for the best part of two decades.

You could say that Tindall has ruffled one or two feathers in that time.

In fact, the so-called "mad dog" has got under the skin of some of the biggest names in the top flight over the years with his touchline antics and barracking of the fourth official.

And that has been just as the grinning Newcastle assistant intended.

This is a figure who "takes the heat away" from Howe - allowing the head coach to focus purely on the game - as friend, ex-coaching colleague and former team-mate Steve Fletcher explained.

"JT has played up to that character a little," he said. "He's not predominantly like that. He's not massively controversial.

"He's passionate. He wants his team to win every game. If it means him getting in the opposition bench's head a bit then he will do whatever he can to win."

Last season's 3-0 victory against Aston Villa was a case in point.

Villa analyst Victor Manas urged Tindall to "show some respect" and "lose the finger" after the Newcastle number two repeatedly shushed a visibly irate Unai Emery at St James' Park.

Tindall, like Manas, was sent off following a flashpoint in the tunnel at the break.

But he later emerged at full-time in a hoodie with his and Howe's faces splashed across it after vowing to wear the Wham!-themed jumper for a supporter if Newcastle won.

Such a move would have sent a now dormant social media account entitled 'Jason Tindall desperate to be centre of attention' into meltdown.

Yet there is more to the 48-year-old than the memes.

Few know that better than winger Matt Ritchie, who worked with Tindall at both Newcastle and Bournemouth.

"The perception may be wrong," he said. "Because, honestly, this guy is a top coach and above all a top man with a really big heart."

It is telling that Howe has brought this set-play and defence specialist with him wherever he has gone.

Howe would not even have taken his first steps in management with Bournemouth if his former team-mate had not already been in situ as an assistant he could trust, who also shared similar views on how the game should be played.

"The longevity probably comes from a healthy respect between us and the fact we started together on this journey," he said.

"We have become accustomed to our strengths and weaknesses. We certainly have a healthy conflict, which is really important for me.

"There's a healthy debate, a healthy challenging of each other."

There have been plenty of heated discussions in the pair's shared office over the years.

"JT is not the type of assistant manager who is just going to nod his head and agree with everything Ed says," Fletcher said. "It's not so much that he disagrees, but he gives him a different opinion.

"Ed has the final say, 100%, but JT is his right-hand man and is there with the other coaches to give a different perspective on things, whether it be formation or personnel.

"He's always been at the forefront of giving his opinion and Ed really takes his perception on things very seriously."

This dynamic - and the pair's contrasting personalities - have contributed to their partnership standing the test of time.

Aside from a brief break, when Tindall stepped up to manage Bournemouth, following Howe's departure in 2020, they have been side by side on the touchline for a staggering 766 competitive games.

Such is the trust Howe has in Tindall and his staff that when the Newcastle head coach was hospitalised with pneumonia less than a year ago he made the conscious decision to give them full responsibility.

"It's over to you," he told Tindall.

Tindall did not just have step up on the training ground alongside fellow assistant Graeme Jones – he suddenly found himself thrust in front of journalists at news conferences.

Some outsiders may have expected Tindall to make outlandish headline-grabbing statements but again, contrary to the persona, the softly-spoken Londoner was anything but box office.

Tindall, Jones and the rest of Howe's staff were instead focused on maintaining standards behind the scenes, imploring the players to put in performances that would make the head coach proud.

Newcastle won their next two games impressively, hammering Manchester United and Crystal Palace by a combined scoreline of 9-1.

They were well-beaten in Tindall's final match in interim charge, against Aston Villa, but Howe's side were still on track to qualify for the Champions League by the time the head coach returned to the dugout for the run-in.

It showcased the value of Tindall, Jones, first-team coaches Stephen Purches and Simon Weatherstone, and Howe's wider staff.

This has been a more challenging domestic season for Newcastle, who are languishing in 12th place in the table, after fighting on multiple fronts.

But Tindall was among those namechecked by Lewis Hall as the left-back discussed the defensive strides he had made on the eve of keeping Barcelona talisman Lamine Yamal quiet from open play earlier this week.

"He's been a massive help," he added.