Eddie Howe reveals why Kieran Trippier went off early and sparked England injury scare with an ice pack on his ankle in Tottenham’s post-season friendly against Newcastle
- Tottenham and Newcastle traveled to Melbourne for a draw hours after the final match
- Eddie Howe’s team will play another practice match on Friday evening
- If this is the future, I don’t want to play a part in it… why are Spurs and Newcastle playing a post-season friendly in Melbourne!? – Listen to It all starts! podcast
Kieran Trippier sparked injury concerns ahead of the European Championship in June after the defender was substituted during Newcastle’s friendly against Tottenham on Wednesday.
The players from both teams left for Australia hours after their final matches of the season to play the friendly at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which ended in Newcastle’s favor after penalties.
Eddie Howe named a full squad for the friendly against their Premier League rivals Down Under, with Trippier in the starting line-up, but was substituted in the 37th minute.
The defender was seen with an ice pack around his ankle as he watched the rest of the game, in news that will cause some concern for England boss Gareth Southgate.
But Newcastle confirmed at the end of the match that the substitution had been pre-planned, with the defender still in the ‘early stages of recovery’ according to Howe.
Kieran Trippier was taken off the field just after the half-hour mark in Melbourne during Newcastle’s friendly
The club traveled Down Under to take on Premier League rivals Tottenham at the iconic MCG
“No, that was all planned,” Howe explained after the final whistle. “We spoke to Kieran and thought it was best to start him. He is still in the early stages of recovery, so we didn’t want to take any chances with him. Half an hour was always the goal.
‘He has done well and is not injured. Let’s see how he feels on Friday. We have to make sure we treat him well in the early stages.”
Newcastle play another friendly against A-League All Stars XI at the end of this week before making the 23-hour journey home.
Trippier will then prepare to link up with Southgate after being named in the manager’s preliminary 33-man squad ahead of June’s competition in Germany.
Before flying to Australia for the tour, which was widely criticized for coming too close to the end of a tough top-flight season, Trippier admitted his club’s tour was ‘far from ideal’.
‘My expression says it all!’ said Trippier, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, when asked about the Australia trip.
‘It’s not ideal, because it’s a tournament year. I understand why the club is doing this. I’ve done it at Tottenham and Atletico Madrid. But from my own experience – in a tournament year (with the European Championship and the Copa America) – it is not ideal.
‘But we are players, we have to do what is good for the club so that the club can move forward. When we get there it will be good, we will embrace it and experience it. Hopefully it goes smoothly.’
Asked whether it would hamper England’s chances in Germany due to the large number of hopefuls, including James Maddison and Anthony Gordon, Trippier added: ‘It’s not just England, you have so many countries and clubs.
‘But it’s one where you just have to keep going. But of course it’s not really ideal for me as a player. It’s not like Benidorm is just around the corner, it’s a 25 hour drive!
Eddie Howe (right, with Ange Postecoglou) allayed fears that the defender had suffered a setback
Trippier returns to Britain and begins preparing to join England ahead of Euro 2024
“There’s no excuses or anything. I understand why the club is doing this and we just have to get on with it.”
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer described the trip as ‘madness’ on Sunday as he weighed in on the tour’s schedule.
“Can you imagine, as a player playing in the Copa America or Euro 2024, having to do that?” said the expert on Match of the Day.
‘Madness. Crazy. I wouldn’t be happy at all. It’s crazy for Newcastle to play Spurs there on Wednesday night and then another game.’