Kieran Trippier has been a Newcastle United player for less than 100 days. In that time, he has already established himself as a dressing room leader, a potential future captain and a top-class operator both on and off the pitch.
The right-back, who still has aspirations of making the 2022 World Cup squad with England, enjoyed a meteoric rise upon joining Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino. Premier League success varied in the capital but one Champions League final came his way back in 2019.
But it was the experience Trippier picked up in Spain made him the leader he is today. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone handed him a key role in his side and at times would stay behind for over an hour after training helping the full-back improve his game by showing him clips of his time at Tottenham.
“I think he improved me massively on my defending. Before I left there, when I was at Tottenham, I needed to improve my defending and he’s worked me so hard on the training field on my own and with the team and he’s improved my defensive side, my maturity on the pitch and leadership,” Trippier told BBC Radio Five Live on Wednesday.
Newcastle are now benefiting from Trippier taking up that responsibility in recent years as he looks to be a driving force in that new era.
On Wednesday evening, he was on punditry duty as he explained perfectly how Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City would play out. As players from both teams clashed inside the Wanda Metropolitano, Trippier's pre-match prediction came true.
"From minute one he will be asking for yellow cards from the touchline and the players will be winding up others. He wants players to get around the ref. Stefan Savic will be the big one tonight, he will be in Man City's faces," he said before the tie.
Two hours later, the world saw Savic taking it upon himself to spark a mass brawl between players after dragging Phil Foden to his feet and pulling Jack Grealish's hair. The ex-City defender also kept a clean sheet last night, didn't commit a single foul over the two legs and was given Man of the Match by L'Equipe for a 'serene' performance.
Savic's behaviour was no surprise to Trippier, who spent two years learning the so-called 'dark arts' of football that comes with the territory of playing under Simeone. Criticised may those tactics be by footballing purists who are opposed to the 5-5-0 formation, constant time-wasting and begging referees to get the cards out, the experience of those big games has clearly done Trippier the world of good as he enters the business end of his career.
