‘HE IS BOSSING IT’: ALAN SHEARER SAYS £20M STAR TOTTENHAM SOLD PLAYING ‘BEST FOOTBALL OF HIS CAREER’
Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Kieran Trippier, in Alan Shearer’s opinion, is playing “the best football of his career” at Newcastle United.
The 33-year-old signed for Newcastle United during the January 2022 transfer window, when the team was fighting for relegation under Eddie Howe’s leadership, which had recently been taken over by Saudi-led ownership.
Additionally, despite being a member of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League team, Kieran Trippier made the decision to go to St. James’ Park, and according to Alan Shearer, who spoke with The Rest Is Football Podcast, he has been a “game-changer” for the side.
He was a highly underappreciated right-back at Spurs, contributing significantly to the team’s regular Champions League finals and tournament appearances.
Tottenham chose to split ways with the player for £20 million (Guardian) in 2019, and they haven’t claimed to have replaced him as of yet.
In any case, the supporters of Newcastle are currently enjoying the benefits of a player who, in Shearer’s words, is “absolutely bossing it.”
At Spurs, he was an underrated figure at right-back, including playing a key role in the team consistently finishing in the Champions League and then getting to the final.
Shearer remarked, “I have always been aware of him, but I haven’t followed his career closely.” However, I believe that the football he is playing for Newcastle right now is the finest of his career.
“He was undoubtedly Newcastle’s game-changer. He was a really significant signing. Eddie (Howe) knew him, of course.Eddie kind of kept in touch with him when he went to watch Atletico Madrid train. However, he has undoubtedly changed Newcastle’s fortunes.
“He had won La Liga when he arrived. That was a bit of a risk on his behalf since there was a real possibility that Newcastle would be demoted. No terms or regulation
Kieran Trippier at Newcastle
“I haven’t followed his career closely, but I have always been aware of him,” said Shearer. “But I think the football he is playing now for Newcastle is the best football he has played in his career.
“He was definitely the game-changer for Newcastle. He was such an important signing. And, of course, Eddie (Howe) knew him. When Eddie went over to Atletico Madrid to watch them train, he sort of kept in touch with him. But he has, no doubt, been the game-changer for Newcastle.
“When he came in, he had won La Liga. There was a proper chance that Newcastle were going to be relegated, so it was a bit of a gamble on his part. No clauses or relegation clauses in his contract.
“Immediately, his attitude changed other players’ attitudes, for the better. I think his professionalism and everything else. He is absolutely bossing it, at the moment. The fans love him. Defensively, he is nasty and hard to get past. A great leader. And going forward, some of the balls he is whipping into the box, it’s just superb.”
Tottenham ought not to have let go. The Trippier
Spurs made a mistake there since the team was beginning to undergo a lot of upheaval at the time.
Important players were departing, either due to illness, aging, or simply moving on to pursue better opportunities elsewhere.
But considering that several players, such as Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier, saw their contracts torn up, they struggled at that right-back position.
Subsequently, it demonstrated that the Spurs could have been better off holding onto Trippier, as he would almost immediately become a valuable member of this Ange Postecoglou squad.
But Newcastle is suddenly winning what was once Spurs’ and even Atletico Madrid’s loss.
