The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Brilliant Tripps the catalyst for revival – Bridges
FORMER UNITED STRIKER HAILS STAR’S BIG IMPACT
KIERAN Tripper has been Newcastle’s most consistent player they’ve had since he joined the club and the ‘catalyst’ behind their Premier League rise, according to former United striker Michael Bridges.
The England full-back was the first signing under the club’s new owners in the January 2022 transfer window and helped guide the club away from the relegation zone under Eddie Howe, and then spark last season’s Champions League qualifying campaign.
A host of big names have since followed him to Tyneside, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon making the move to the North East as the Magpies aim to consistently break into the Premier League elite.
However, Bridges, who played for Newcastle under Sir Bobby Robson after starring with Leeds and Sunderland, feels that North East Football Writers’ Player of the Year Trippier has been the onfield driving force behind Newcastle’s rise.
“The career that Kieran Trippier has had is incredible,” Bridges told William Hill.
“He was a superstar at Tottenham where he played in a Champions League final. Then he moved on to Atletico Madrid in La Liga and won the title there.
“He was one of the first signings that Newcastle made under the new ownership, which was a big move for him, and he was the catalyst for everyone else that followed. It was a big step for him and it has paid dividends because he’s been absolutely brilliant. He has been the most consistent player throughout his time at St James’ Park and the award that he has won is a credit to himself and those supporting him.
“He could’ve gone to much bigger clubs at the time of his Newcastle move so credit to him for seeing the vision.
“He was the one that really made everybody realise that something big was happening at Newcastle. The number of goal contributions he gets is incredible and long may it continue.”
While Trippier is fully focused on Newcastle’s push for a European place this season, plus their forthcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, he will also be fully aware that England manager Gareth Southgate will soon be making his final adjustments to his squad for this summer’s European Championships.
But Bridges says there is no doubt the Newcastle defender will be part of those plans.
“Kieran is going to play a massive part in the European Championships this summer,” he added.
“What Gareth Southgate has done with the England team is shown by the fact that we’re getting ever closer to winning a major tournament. It is nice to be following
England and actually getting a wave of success, with a bit of silverware being the final piece of the puzzle.
“Kieran is going to be part of the Euros, there’s no doubt about it. The caps that he has to his name have been incredibly well deserved and everything that he’s done in the game thus far has been incredible.
“There’s still plenty to come from him.”