Kieran Trippier’s eyes light up and a little smile plays around the corners of his mouth. Newcastle’s right-back has just been asked about the “dark arts” or, to put it less euphemistically, the “shithousery” Eddie Howe’s team have become noted for and his response is emphatic.
“I love it,” he says. “The best for me was Atlético Madrid’s Stefan Savic. He used to pull people’s hair, even in training. It was crazy but I love all that. Of course, opposition fans aren’t going to like it but I think it’s good to see. I don’t see why everyone’s kicking off about it: it’s good!”
It is 13 months since Trippier swapped Madrid for Newcastle and a reunion with Howe, a manager he has remained close to since the pair worked together at Burnley more than a decade ago. These days he is Howe’s first lieutenant on the pitch and will not be averse to introducing elements of gamesmanship should it become necessary to disrupt Manchester United’s momentum during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The 32-year-old certainly had no objections when the club captain, Jamaal Lascelles, collected two bookings for obstructing opponents at late throw-ins while warming up as a substitute earlier this season.
“I’ve experienced these things a lot in Spain,” explains Trippier. “It’s about when to slow a game down. If the opposition are on top, of course you’ve got to kill the game. You’re not going to allow them to take a quick throw-in and say: ‘Carry on.’ Some teams aren’t happy with us this season but it’s about being clever.
“Of course we’ll use it if we need to on Sunday. Man United have hit form and we’ll do everything we can to win. If you want to be successful, you have to be cute. You have to manage every single game well and at the right time. You have to know when to slow it down. Look at Real Madrid and how successful they’ve been for many, many years. Their players like Sergio Ramos and Marcelo were the best at it and they’ve won everything going.”
After playing for Manchester City and Tottenham before arriving in the Spanish capital, Trippier was already streetwise when he met Atlético’s manager but Diego Simeone’s influence ensured his mastery of those dark arts hit new heights.
“Diego’s an unbelievable manager,” he says. “The biggest thing I learnt at Atlético was don’t mess with him or you’re coming off. I saw that on a regular basis and I’ve been on the wrong end of it playing Milan away. It’s not pretty but it’s about respect – and Diego Simeone gets it from every player, whether they’re in the team or not. He was incredible with the players who weren’t playing.
“I learned so much from him … my defending, my positioning and, going to a different country, I matured. Atlético Madrid was a great experience. I’m absolutely delighted I went there.”
When Trippier joined Newcastle amid last season’s relegation struggle eyebrows were raised but the 40-cap England international had no doubts about relocating to Tyneside. “I have to thank the gaffer for signing me in the first place at Burnley,” he says. “We’ve always had contact and a relationship and I’m just proud and honoured he gave me an opportunity to try to create history at Newcastle. He’s an incredible manager.”
Little did Trippier know last January that his latest reunion with Howe would prompt a conflict of interest within his Manchester United-supporting family. “My three brothers still go to Old Trafford and, if they weren’t playing us, they’d be supporting Manchester United on Sunday,” he says. “All the family are Reds but hopefully they’ll be supporting me at Wembley.”
Trippier trusts Sunday will prove third time lucky. Although he won La Liga with Atlético in 2021, his two major finals – the 2-0 2019 Champions League defeat against Liverpool for Tottenham and the Euro 2020 final loss on penalties to Italy with England – ended in disappointment. “The pain was tough, especially with England,” he says. “But I can’t go into Sunday with negative thoughts. From my experience, you can overthink things in a final.”
Even a character as balanced as Trippier acknowledges that expectation is sky high in a city which last celebrated Newcastle winning silverware when the Fairs Cup was secured in 1969. “Taking my kids to school the other week, the headmaster came out and said: ‘Thank you’,” he smiles. “And the other kids’ dads are very excited. People here are so passionate and so thankful. We’re in a cup final and we’re in a good position in the league but we want to be where Manchester City and Manchester United are. We want to play in the Champions League. Hopefully this is the first of many finals. I certainly believe this club has a great future ahead of it. And it already has the perfect manager.”
