Trippier: Simeone, Man Utd Offer & Spurs Secrets | Overlap Exclusive

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0:32I still speak to some of them now, but I sort of blinded from it at the time where I was doing alright at Burnley and I was going out thinking it's the right thing to do, but when I moved to London with my wife, looking back now, it was the best thing that ever happened in my career for sure. Why was it Newcastle? Why here? Everyone raised their eyebrows. I took less money coming into Newcastle than I did at Looking back at some pictures, I looked like I swallowed about three pillars. You know when you just know, don't you, when your time's up, it's up. You don't play for the money, it's more for the pure enjoyment of playing football.

1:13I wanted to start this interview with Atletico Madrid because it fascinates me, that movie. At the time, I actually felt quite proud that an English... Intrigued and proud that an English defender would be able to go over and operate under Simone, which I... It's tough. Yeah, I played a game against him, by the way, when I was in Spain, Valencia. The Beatles 2-0. And it was an experience. I felt like I was being suffocated, as in on the touchline, he was there. He was imposing. He was aggressive. He walked past me at the end of the game, didn't shake my hand and was almost like dismissive, I thought, you are one horrible good.

1:53Yeah, but if you play for him, it's... Yeah, so I was thinking, how did that come about to start with? To be honest, I think, obviously when it was the 2018 World Cup, I thought I had a decent tournament, I would say it was my first one, and then maybe in that time, the season after, I didn't really know how to maybe handle the pressures of being more known and things like that, and then that season, I didn't really do too well. But, you know, I'm the first to admit that I didn't go to the Nations League with England. You know, I had a good chat with Gareth, which I knew anyway. And then, yeah, you know, there was a few clubs, to be fair.

2:25Like, I weren't expecting, like, teams in Italy with Ancelotti at Napoli. It was nearly done there. And then out of nowhere, Madrid came in. And, you know, I went back to pre-season with Tottenham. And, you know, you just know, don't you? When your time's up, it's up. You know, it's... What was it that was up at Tottenham? What was it that you felt? I think maybe a change. I think I had a talk with, obviously, Pochettino at the time. And, obviously, Daniel Levy as well. and I weren't getting the answer that I wanted in the sense of I'm a part of the plans and stuff, but it's fine, players come and go, managers come and go, and it's about trying to find that next step, and then Alerco Madrid came in, and I just said to them, I want to sign for them, and then I was in Madrid straight away, and I've never looked back since, unbelievable journey.

3:06What was your first encounter with Diego Simeone, what was that like? It was, so I'd done my press conference, and then I thought, maybe I can go home and get some things together because I thought I'd maybe bring some stuff over. I didn't have anything. And then he texted me and just said, right, straight to San Rafael, San Rafael, Los Angeles, the mountains. You come straight there. So I thought, right, okay. Bye to my family and then straight into pre-season. And yeah, just his presence, you know, you felt it straight away. And yeah, just an absolute joy and, you know, I admire him. what was the work regime like so start with that pre-season compared to other pre-seasons you'd done yeah so he was relentless and we have a guy called Proffey so he's the fitness coach there so so basically the first day was like 6.30 in the morning yeah golf course running for example and then basically three sessions a day I was sort of used to it and I was surprised with my fitness because of what I did for Poch because how relentless it were and demanding it were for him so I was sort of prepared for what he was going to throw at me I had a good pre-season fitness-wise and yeah it's about when you go abroad it's about making that effort you know embracing their culture and that and yeah we click straight away in terms of principles of play of playing right back obviously you think about all the sort of different styles of right back now going into midfield overlapping underlapping going being a third centre back he's he was the classic sort of traditional 4-4-2 was it more of a traditional thinking of how to play right back as I would have maybe been taught it or learnt it no definitely and when I went there people was like oh it's a wrong move for him you know he's not going to get past the halfway line things like this but you know he encouraged me to go forward as much as I could he just got me into some positions where I just thought to myself like it was so simple like defensive Talk to me on the right back to right back level so in terms of where you would be Yeah so when I first went there he said I need to improve your defending like blunt as that basically like your defending needs to improve And that's probably one of the strongest parts of your game really Well I think before then you've got a good balance but yeah but I think before then I think I was a bit suspect when I was at Tottenham in my last season I was there working and you're getting caught out you're playing people on side and it's all about fine margins and it was just a consistent basis and I just wanted the season to end I just felt like I was getting suffocated because I weren't performing and yeah he worked with me like so many hours just me and him on the training pitch after training showing me clips of other players and that's why he's really you know if you break his trust that's it you're done he's one of those where in what way what would be breaking his trust it's just about being on time again respect for everybody else and on the pitch as well you have to run if you don't run for him it doesn't matter how much they paid for you how much you're on you're gone so and I think it's there for everyone to see you have to run for him and what specifically defensively did he work on with you so he used to always put me up against players like Thomas Lemar or Carrasco different type of winger where Carrasco is one of them where he'll chop you and Limar is one of those where he'll just run in behind you and he was very clever in the plays he always put me up against and I look back now I think he'd done it on purpose to see how I'd cope and yeah he just used to work me at like positioning you know when to go forward when not to go forward and he was really intelligent and I learned so much off him.

6:31Was he the coach that you think has impacted your game most or would you point towards someone else that you've worked with I've got to give a lot of credit to say Pochettino as well because obviously he was my manager when I got my first call up for England so I've got a lot to thank him for Sean Dyche from back in the day when I was young stupid going out all the time and he proper reeled me in and he was tough with me and obviously the gaffer now Eddie Howe so they've all done different things for me and I'll always respect every manager that I've had going abroad living abroad moving your family abroad winning abroad living under a manager that's been at the highest level do you see it as being almost like on your cv as a big massive win i would for you you're not looking at it definitely because i've said it's the only major trophy i've won in my career but it's difficult and that's why i respect players who come to england now when i used to look at players before i went to spain and think how do you not adapt or top quality players how do you not settle but when i went to spain and that's why i respect players who play the premier who are from like south america or because it's tough and and you You've got to make the effort as well, certainly when I was in Spain, because I think I was the only English player in about 100 years or something to play for them.

7:39But the players were good, like Morata, Costa, who spoke English, Savic, who I was at City with when he was there. So you've got to make that effort. You've got to, you know, like, go for dinner with him and that, and it's just embracing that culture. And I loved every second of it. Obviously, you come through at City. Yeah. And you think, obviously, they let you go. Yeah. Do you think now that if Pep was there 10 years ago, 15 years ago, do you almost look at it and think, actually, I'd have had a chance if I was there now in this period? Do you ever look at it like that? Not really, if I'm going to be honest with you.

8:10I just think I look at my career and I won't change anything. I think at the time when I was there, you had Zabaleta, who was one of the best right-backs for many years, and obviously Micah as well was there. And then I went through the transition where they got taken over and then started buying loads of players, and I needed to get out and play. I was at Barnsley and then when I came back and I experienced that and I just think, you know, there's no shame in dropping down a league. And it was tough for me at Man City at the time because I was never going to play. And playing against men in the Championship and then that's when I signed for Burnley.

8:40And you look at that sort of period in your career, sort of going, say, Barnsley or Burnley, it's stood you in good stead because it's kept you grounded, it's given you good principles. No, definitely. And I go back to my first ever game at Barnsley, I was playing next to Darren Moore. And he was brilliant with me, Darren Moore. and it was just a good experience a year and a half at Barnsley and I just wanted more of it and of course I was at City many years through the youth system and stuff and there's players that decided to stay there and get more money and now they're not really playing so Just getting games was important Yeah, just getting games was important no matter where it was Back then when you were so young you don't play for the money it's more for the pure enjoyment of playing football and that's what my main focus were and then I knew a few lads at Burnley when I was there so yeah everything was perfect really.

9:25You're 33 years of age, you're at Newcastle and you're working under Eddie Howe. Why Newcastle? Because at the time it was questioned wasn't it? You left almost like why was it Newcastle? Why here? Yeah so when I was in Madrid obviously it was the season before I left it was a tough year for me for numerous reasons but then yeah I just wanted to come back to England. My family was finding it a bit difficult at the time. I could have stayed at Madrid I could have signed a new three-year contract at Madrid you know Simeone in the car park the day I was leaving didn't want me to go but it was the right thing at the right time for my family and as players you've got to be realistic where you can go so I weren't going to go and sign for City Liverpool I knew I was restricted to certain clubs Once United came in though didn't they?

10:11No no yeah United did straight after the Euros and that was very close obviously growing up being a Red as well with all my family but it didn't happen you know everything happens for a reason so What happened? and he just fell away at the last minute? No, to be fair, he just fell away, really. I think Ole was the manager at the time, and everything seemed perfect. I was absolutely chuffed. It was Man United, biggest club in the world. And it didn't happen, so I was back at Madrid. It's not a bad place to go back to, is it? And then six months later, I was at Newcastle. But, yeah, obviously everyone raised their eyebrows.

10:44Obviously, he's going for the money, he's going for this. I've made it clear many times, I took less money coming into Newcastle than I did at Madrid. I didn't have a relegation clause, even the position that we're in. I trusted the manager and that was a key factor where I came. When I've watched Newcastle over the last 18 months, it's been quite clever what they've done in terms of off the pitch, not going crazy, but being quite methodical and quite stable in the way in which they've approached it, the ownership. Bringing Eddie in, who again I think mirrors that sort of value and then thinking about you on the pitch in the last 12 to 18 months, thinking you mirror it on the pitch, that sort of ethos.

11:18Do you feel like that, the standard bearer on the pitch? Yeah, I think when I first signed, there was going for a tough moment, obviously. We got beat by Cambridge, my first game, and you could see around the place where it was just about believing. And then we signed good characters, as you mentioned. We signed Dan Burnt, great leader, Geordie, run for a brick wall in the situation I was in, mighty target, myself, Bruno, who's been remarkable. So I think at the time it was about bringing the right character in for the team for the squad because I've been in a dressing room before as you know you may have as well where sometimes if one has an ego it's like a domino effect then and that's dangerous for a team particularly with senior players yeah so the players that we signed was perfect for that season unfortunately I broke my foot that year which I was devastated about but what the team went on to do was incredible and the manager's like a big believer in that you know standards always respect the staff kit men whatever it may be so So he's certainly set the tone.

12:20And I've worked for him before as well. And he demands a lot from me to try and help the players at Roma. You've played for managers, actually, that have got a thread. You think about Sean Dyche and the sort of image that he has. Pochettino, Simeone, Eddie Howe. Non-negotiables, a work ethic. 100%. You know, attitude, being a good, if you like, teammate. Yeah. Would you say that's fair, that, isn't it, to say? No, definitely. and all four managers that you just mentioned, they all demand that you run, that you work hard for the team, regardless of the result, you always go to the end. And I think that's what you've seen for Newcastle, you know, we're a high-pressing team with high demands, and every manager that I work for demand that.

13:01They demand that you work hard, you're respectful around the place. Yeah, and I've learned a lot about myself recently. Hugo Lloris, Harry Kane, top, top pros. This is going to be tough. Hopefully this summer will be my fourth tournament. I've absolutely loved every moment of it. I wasn't professional, shall we say. What was that? A couple of pints? Yeah.

13:27So I want to talk about fitness. I remember my record running, because we started to do the running stats, you'll have all these stats now, I think just before, towards the end of my career, I think I'd done 11 point, I don't know, 6 or 7K in a game. I think the record was 8-900 of high intensity or just under 1 ,000. What's your average distance? 12K? 12K is average. 12K a game, probably. And high intensity would be? Erm, God, I don't know if Topham may be. It's a lot, my high intensity, it's a lot to be fair. Over 8-900? Yeah, probably. Decel accels a lot, especially the way that we play. Well, it's a bit like full-backs are these days against the wingers that you're up against.

14:11so the stats now are through the roof and I think now you have to run that's a given I read a couple days ago coming into this interview that you were put in a some chamber Tottenham altitude chamber because you were overweight there's nothing on you not now there's nothing but looking back at some pictures the market's uncertain revenues tied and hiring on hold That's why results-driven companies are using Upwork to keep work moving. Go to Upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast. No bulky overhead. No rigid long-term contracts. Just the right expert right when you need them.

14:54Work smarter and faster with Upwork. Go to Upwork.com now and find your freelance expert. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com. Post a job for free and get started today. I look like I swallowed about three pillars. I mean, what would your weight have been when you came from Burnley to top? Probably, when I was at Burnley, I'd play about 76, 77 kilos. Oh, I'm showing my age, I'm in stones. So now I'm about 70, 71. So you lost six kilos? From back then, yeah. So when I was at Burnley, it was... Like a stone, that, is it? Yeah, probably more than that, yeah. But when I was at Burnley, it's like, you look at nutrition, you look at...

15:38Was it pies and chips, basically? No, I just think, if you look then, the resources that we had at Burnley was nothing compared to what I had at Tottenham. You mean the nutrition advice and things like that? Yeah, definitely. And I was in for a big shock, because when I was at Burnley, it was... I wasn't professional, shall we say. What was that, like a couple of pints? Yeah, more than a couple of pints. Two, three days a week, probably. But, yeah, and then when I went to Tottenham, I didn't realise obviously you walk in and you see Hugo Lloris Harry Kane top top pros and it probably took me the first week where I thought this is going to be tough and then I was in the chamber for about a good five six months Jesus put us in there after training the training was relentless also Meritius Jesus yeah Jesus we stuck in altitude chamber yeah inside after every session for how long good I don't know 35-40 minutes What, just literally just fat burning type stuff?

16:36Yeah, fat burning. So we'd be on the treadmill, then we'd be on the rower, and then we would... Who's we? I might as well throw them under the bus. There was me, Toby. Sonny was in there a couple of times. Son that plays football for Tottenham now? There's nothing on him. Yeah, Sonny was in there. We all signed in the same window, you see. Oh, so you all came. So we had Kevin Vimmer at the time. Oh, four or five was at the same window. So it was like, right, yeah, we're all in for a shock here. but it was relentless, it was tough but then after six months you get used to it. Was that the biggest shift in professionalism that you had in your life?

17:11Definitely, I think moving from the area that I was from I'm not saying my mates are to blame or anything I'm saying far from that but it was the best thing that ever happened to me moving to London at the time. I was mocked ridiculously about three months ago off Jamie Carragher for, and Roy Keane actually you might not, you won't have seen it where I said that I had to almost split from my friends from the area that I was when I was younger because the priorities of them was that they were just, for them it's normal to go and have three, four pints or eat a bar of chocolate or chippy. If I did that, I'm done.

17:44So I literally, I had to almost like in some ways put blinkers on. I was probably, I still speak to some of them now, but I sort of blinded from it at the time where, you know, I was doing all right at Burnley and I was going out thinking it's the right thing to do. But when I moved to London with my wife, looking back now is the best thing that ever happened in my career for sure. Just getting out of that sort of... Getting out of that area, you know, living on, you know, just on our own, we didn't know anybody. Not just going out for drinks or whatever it may be, but it was the best thing that happened.

18:12Did you put an altitude chamber in your house? I didn't need to. I didn't need to. You know, the weight dropped straight off when I was at Tottenham. To be perfect every day in what you eat, what you drink, how you rest, how you recover, all the things that you're asked of. It's almost like a sort of military regime every single day. I got to sort of 35 and I felt like I can't do this anymore you're nowhere near that at this moment in time you feel like you're still sort of if you like thinking there's sort of three four five years is that where you're at in your mind no 100 % and you know I go in every single day looking forward to training it's never once crossed my mind about when I'm going to finish of course the the international side okay more so for sure but do you think you will finish after this tournament erm you never know I never want to say I'll always I'm one of those where I never probably come out officially and retire I'll always be there if I'm needed Is it harder to go away?

19:08Because that's September October November March summer and then you're on the roundabout spinning all the time aren't you? It is tough No it is especially when you probably see lads probably having a week off but you get used to it and when I get called up for England it's actually such a big honour No, I absolutely love it. And to represent the country and hopefully this summer will be my fourth tournament, you know, if I go, it's... I've absolutely loved every moment of it. And sometimes you've got to be realistic as well. I'm 34 in September. You know, I'm up against top, top-quality right-backs, or left-back if I'm playing there.

19:46So it could be my last tournament if I'm picked. No guarantees. You know, I think it's gone down to 23 as well. Yeah, you need to perform at the highest level because, again, I'm up against probably one of the toughest positions in the squad. I didn't realise if I missed and they scored, they would have gone through. Yeah, I know. I didn't even realise. If I'm not playing, I'm not going to kick up a fuss. I'll work hard. If I'm called upon, you've always got to be ready. Are you actually fixed? That's what I want to be a coach. Of course, it's going to be tough, but I feel I can give a lot back.

20:18Kyle Walker, Rhys James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier. But the one that has been trusted the most by Gareth, I think there's no doubt he trusts you and he's gone to you and returned to you why do you think he's done that I'm not too sure to be honest I owe Gareth a lot I've made near and near 50 caps and I've got to thank him for a lot and I'm one of those players where if I'm playing or not playing I'll always give everything because when teams when they start and 11's playing and then you have to train the next day it's about being committed and making sure that everyone's on it for me Hendo's the best at that you mean the day after the game where the we used to call it the bomb squad yeah I know what you mean basically it's like Sunday training session all the first team are in the jacuzzi yeah but especially tournament football as well because you're away for five weeks and it's about keeping that positivity and I think Gareth's been the main head of that what it means to play for England regardless of you playing or not you always support your teammates and I think that's what I'm all about if I'm not playing I'm not going to kick up a fuss I'll work hard and if I'm cold upon like the first game of the Euros against Croatia I was playing left back there's no way I thought I'd be starting when you've got Ben Chilwell who just won the Champions League so it's you've always got to be ready and what is it that Gareth's done because I played for England for many many years where you know I look at the England squad now and I think everyone comments on this that the spirit feels like a club side how has he developed that what specific things has he sort of introduced certainly when I first arrived we had meeting after meeting what it means to represent England the badge the supporters and it's always important that he's been the next England player as well.

21:59And it's just trying to bring that togetherness and it's been so long since we've won something and I think everybody's bought into it and I think everyone sees that. Everyone loves going to camp, players are not pulling out, which is key and everybody's ready. Especially when you go to tournament football, you see the talent that we've got and I see all the time this player should be playing, that person should be playing it. Obviously, I wouldn't like to be Gareth because it's tough. He's got nearly 30-plus players who are playing unbelievable. But he handles it very well and everybody fully respects him.

22:31In the period of your career at 33 where you're in complete comfort, I don't mean comfort as in you don't put pressure on yourself, but you go out onto the pitch, you've seen it all, and actually there's no game now that can surprise you. It's not comfort, it's almost like a peak, I suppose. It's your peak of your career. Yeah, it is. and I go into every game, even to this day, with butterflies. Do you get nervous then before games? No, honestly, I don't. Even throughout my whole career, really, I've never really got nervous. Wow, why not? I don't know. I actually don't know. That's a good thing.

23:07Yeah, it's like if I'm playing a big game, for example, for Newcastle, whatever it may be, I always put in my head I've played in a bigger game. I always try and think like that. So a perspective. Yeah, like I've always played in a bigger game, nothing to worry about. and it's having that self-belief as well you know you can do well you know always being positive so never really get nervous the only time where I've probably been nervous a little bit is when I took the penalty in the World Cup against Colombia because I've never took one before and I didn't realise if I missed and they scored they would have gone through so yeah I know I didn't even realise that's what I mean I was just in the zone really What do you mean you felt nervous I mean obviously I've never done it I've never been in that position No I've not either but that World Cup just talked me through it Because that is the sort of England fans, I suppose, misery over 30, 40 years, isn't it?

23:53But that was unbelievable that night. I mean, I was there watching it. But you're walking up, what you're thinking is just a different feeling in your body. I just went numb. Honestly, I just went numb and, you know, relief when it went in. And then, yeah, his first penalty shot we've won in, I don't know, many years. But that tournament would come over so many obstacles, which was good. What is the rules that Gareth instils with penalty practice in training so that it actually comes out more successful in games? So we have obviously, after training, play like four players because if there's like 15, 16 players waiting, it can be carnage.

24:26So just a select few every day in training throughout the tournament where you just pick your spot, you take three penalties and then they analyse it. So they watch them back on video? Yeah, they watch them back and then they would obviously like probably choose then, you know, he was more consistent and to be fair, we've got some unbelievable penalty takers in that squad. So, yeah, it's just about being consistent with your practice and being confident in that moment because it is a long walk. You shouldn't have been as good at taking him in training. You should have sort of fluffed your lines in training.

24:55Not for me. Yeah, for a fair, I don't think anybody would do that, but we've got a lot of good penalty takers. Eighteen was a surprise. It sort of shocked everybody. And then there was almost like an expectation grew and obviously so close with the Euro. we had that feeling oh will we get there again whereas you lads seem to have that feeling that it's just a step nearer 100 % to get in there and sort of winning a tournament no definitely I think you go back to 2018 it was again the first half especially we should have been 3-0 up yeah but again it's about fine margins and then you have people like Modric and you just turn the screw and then it's over and then obviously get beat on penalties against Italy Qatar where I thought we maybe dominated again against France as well.

25:42Yeah, it was a 50-50 game at best. It was. It was tight, wasn't it? And as you know better than anybody, it's all about five margins and the little moments in games. We always believe and we shouldn't be scared to say that we can win the tournament. It's not about being arrogant or anything. It's, again, having that self-belief as a squad, as individuals, that we have the players, the squad to go on and be successful. Just going back to you managing yourself and the idea of... Have you started to think about that at the age of 33 think about what does sort of like 38 look like what does 40 look like it's scary to be honest I've spoke to a lot of players obviously in my head you know sometimes you've got to accept that it's going to come to an end sooner or later and I'd like to go into coaching but I feel certainly the past 7-8 years I've looked after my body better I feel like you know I feel good on the pitch and yeah it's all about being professional and I feel like I've got a good few years in me yet whatever level that's at you know I know when the time's right, but I'd love to go into coaching when I finish.

26:43I play for some top managers who I learnt a lot off, players that I played with. I think that'll be an exciting time as well. Are you adamant about that? Are you actually fixed? That's what I want to be a coach. Yeah, definitely. I think I want to give back with players that have helped me in my career since I was young until now. Of course, it's going to be tough, but I feel like I can give a lot back, try and help young players. and yeah you never know I could be sat here in 10 years time and not be a coach I could be sat next to you for example you never know do you know what I mean you never know what you do so no it's exciting Are you thinking youth coaching are you thinking with you said give back there are you thinking more sort of like want to be a first team coach and sort of head coach I'd like to start like youth team you would I'd like to just try and build myself up because you know you see a lot of players who just go straight with the first team and sometimes it doesn't work.

27:38It's about learning as well because you're going back to square one. I've spoke to a lot of people and just because he was a footballer, it doesn't mean you're going to be a good coach. I've spoke to a lot of players I've played with, like Michael Duffy was a manager who's done well at Cheltenham and unfortunately it didn't really happen at Swansea. I've got a lot of players I've played with who are in that dugout now, so it's even just leaning on them as well. I think, to be fair, you're not asking for my advice, but I would say definitely do your coaching badges as early as possible and get hundreds of hours on the grass coaching because when I went to Valencia I didn't really want to be a coach and I was thrust upon it, I didn't have any experience the thousands of hours that the likes of Eddie or Michael Duff have put in, coaching on the pitch and learning, it's just vital that, you can't shortcut it, there's no shortcut.

28:28No I think it's been committed as well, because I've spoke to them as well and they say it's tough It is. It's probably seven till seven. You're working and you're probably working more as a player. But yeah, I think I'd like to take a bit of time out with my family as well and then get back into it. Kieran, thank you very much. Really appreciate it. Great to see you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

29:08We'll be right back.