‘Strange’ - Eddie Howe responds to Premier League rule changes impacting Newcastle United

Eddie Howe has joked that Jason Tindall will need to be chained to the dugout with a Premier League rule change set to heavily impact the pair.

Howe and Tindall stood side-by-side on the touchline together barking out instructions has been a constant sight since their arrival at St James’ Park in October 2021. But during the 2023-24 campaign and beyond, that is no longer permitted.

New FA directives state “only one person can stand at the front of the technical area and coach during the match. Only one other person is allowed to stand, but they must remain close to the technical area seating. All other occupants must remain seated.” Failure to follow the rule will result in a yellow card being issued.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa (kick-off 5:30pm), Howe said it was “strange” and admitted it was a “blow” but is prepared to deploy a rotation tactic.

“It’s strange that’s been brought in this season,” said Howe. “From our perspective, that’s a blow… we’ve just worked naturally. There’s been no big plan of ours at the start of our careers to work in the way that we do, it’s just naturally evolved.

“We’ve always had that way of working. When the game’s going on I want to help the players as much as I can and I hope to help rather than hinder them by being close to them and trying to be quite active and vocal. And naturally, he joins in.

“There are certain aspects of the game I ask him to concentrate on and he will then in that moment try to help the players too. Only one of us can do that, it’s just something we’ll have to navigate. I think you’ll see quite a bit of rotation from us on the sidelines.”

Asked if he thought the rule change came in response to how well he and Tindall work together, Howe said: “I don’t know. I’ve got no idea. I think there were a few comments about how we worked last year and I don’t know whether people have looked at that. It is what it is.

“I think the rule has always been there. We’ve had these meetings before historically where one person is supposed to be in the technical area but I don’t think it’s managed correctly or enforced but I think there’s going to be a dramatic change to that now.

“But we’ll just have to find a way around it. I always want to be there to help the players but we’ll have to move in and out.”

“I think he’ll feel a natural tendency to want to get forward then be told he probably can’t,” Howe added. “We don’t want to see him get sent off so we’ll have to try and get him chained to the dugout!”

Another change Howe is “uncomfortable” with is referees being instructed to keep count of how long the game is stopped before the re-start for interruptions such as a goal, a substitution, injury, or preparations for a free-kick.

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Similar to the Qatar World Cup, this could see matches exceed 100 minutes.

“It’s new and I think anything new takes time to adjust to,” said Howe. “I wouldn’t say I’m massively for it to be honest in sense of the extra time. I’m for the game flowing and being managed correctly, the needless stoppages and gamesmanship which we all do, let’s be honest, we all do. “I think it’s a push in the right direction to make the game quicker for the viewers and the people who come to the game.

“But the stoppage time I’m a little bit uncomfortable with because it extends the game where a 90 minute game turns potentially into a 100 minute game and, as we all say, the demand on players is higher than it has ever been, the game is quicker than it has ever been and for us now, going into another competition, it’s another added stress and demand on our squad. I’ve gone through a lot of things there but that’s sort of my initial feeling.”