Trippier: Forget Bayern, I want to make history with the Toon
KIERAN TRIPPIER was not finished after doing his talking on the pitch at Craven Cottage. The Newcastle defender, whose corner led to his team’s second goal and who was part of a resilient shutout, wanted to speak to the press after being the subject of three offers from Bayern Munich last week.
His club rejected them all — the final bid was for £12.8million — and they were adamant from the outset he would not be sold.
There was concern among coaching staff that Trippier could leave, and Eddie Howe has revealed that the numbers involved in a potential deal were examined. However, the manager was always determined to keep his star player at St James’ Park — and that will now be the case.
Trippier said: ‘It’s always a compliment when a team like Bayern come in for you, but I want to make history with the club, win a trophy and help the club grow for as long as possible. I hope everybody knows my commitment to this club. It has not changed since I first arrived. It’s a transfer window, things happen, it hasn’t put me off or anything. I’m at Newcastle.
‘Things happen in the background. I’ve been quiet but not thrown my toys out of the pram or anything. I had loads of conversations with the manager, everything was positive, nothing has changed and I’m committed to Newcastle. I want to give everything for the club.’ Trippier’s signing has been transformational for Newcastle and, even at the age of 33, he remains their most influential player. There was a suggestion Bayern’s offers could have reached a number that made financial sense for the Magpies to sell, because of profit and sustainability restrictions, but Howe said: ‘You’ll see a number and think that’s potentially good value for Kieran but, in our shoes, when you see the breakdown, it’s not good value and it would have been a poor decision to accept it. That’s not just my opinion, it’s everyone connected with the club. Kieran is loved by everybody. He wanted to stay and we wanted to keep him. Kieran is Kieran. He is a difference maker for us.’
Newcastle are through to the last 16 of the FA Cup for only the second time in 18 years after goals from Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn saw off Fulham. Howe says a Cup run can keep their season alive after slipping to 10th in the Premier League on the back of crippling injuries and a gruelling Champions League campaign.
The Newcastle boss, who could lose Miguel Almiron to a Saudi club this week, said: ‘Last year we overachieved massively. That is a credit to the players.
‘This year has been very different for us. We have had situations you could never have foreseen at the start of the season. I think we have been very unlucky at times. We’ve not been able to put our best team out on the pitch or change things in-game.
‘But the players have still given their all. They have still been committed despite some difficult moments. So yeah, this team has still got a lot more to give and there is loads more in the tank.’ FULHAM (4-3-3): Rodak 6; Tete 6, Diop 6 (Tosin 71min, 6), Ream 5.5, Robinson 5.5; Reed 6 (Palhinha 71, 6), Lukic 6, Pereira 5 (Cairney 65, 5); Wilson 7 (Willian 45, 5), Muniz 6.5, De Cordova-Reid 6 (Jimenez 71). Booked: None. Manager: Marco Silva 6. NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Dubravka 7; Trippier 7 (Krafth 86), Schar 7, Botman 7, BURN 7.5; Longstaff 6.5, Guimaraes 6, Miley 6; Murphy 6 (Livramento 75), Isak 7, Gordon 6 (Ritchie 90). Scorers: Longstaff 39, Burn 61. Booked: Schar. Manager: Eddie Howe 6.5. Referee: Jarred Gillett 7. Attendance: 18,960.