Prem chat made for Simeone

EXCLUSIVE BY SIMON BIRD DIEGO SIMEONE would be a massive hit in the Premier League – if he learns English.

Kieran Trippier says his former boss at Atletico Madrid transformed his game with brilliant man management and passion – and could one day take charge of an elite side in England.

Trippier has revealed the detailed personal attention

Simeone

(above) gave him during their titlewinning season in Spain.

He said: “I’d love to see Simeone in the Premier League because I think he would be unbelievable.

“He was incredible with me and changed my game defensively. He changed the work I did individually, and I learned so much from him. His man management was incredible.

“We lived in a compound called La Finca in Madrid.

“It was like St George’s Park with lakes and fields.

“You’d see him on walks and try to chat. His wife speaks perfect English. Can he manage in England one day? I would love to see it.

“He is a manager who has to speak fluently because he wants to get his message across. If he couldn’t get his point across he would get agitated, frustrated.

“When the opportunity came to go to Madrid, I thought yes, go for it. A lot of people disagreed with it, saying it was a bad move.

“With Simeone you couldn’t get away with anything. One to one, the night before we went for the title against Valladolid he pulled me in.

“He showed me a video of when I signed, the press conference, where I said what I wanted to achieve with Atletico Madrid. I said that day I wanted to win the title. He remembered that and wanted to remind me.

“That moment spurred me on against Valladolid in that decisive last game, and we won it. Little details like that get the extra percentage out of players.

“Simeone is very clever.”