Kieran Trippier has admitted he was gutted to leave Manchester City as a youngster.
The 32-year-old was speaking about his early playing days when he was on the books of City.
Trippier is now one of the Premier League’s best full-backs, having come back to the English top-flight in January 2022.
He had been with Atletico Madrid after spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley, and was the first signing for Newcastle United following their takeover by PIF.
The £100,000-a-week star is a firm favourite at St. James’ Park, having shown fantastic consistency since he arrived.
Trippier has just been named in the Team of the Season, underlining his brilliant campaign for the Magpies.
In a parallel world, Trippier might have been turning out for City now and not Newcastle.
But the England international left the Citizens in 2011 .
He only ever got as far as a pre-season tour of the United States in the summer of 2010, and never made an appearance for the first-team.
Trippier spoke about his release by City on the High Performance podcast. He said: “When I was at City and never making it there I took the long route, but I wouldn’t change anything.
“I was lucky enough to train with the first-team and I didn’t realise how tough it would be to play at the top with the top players like Bellamy. It was difficult because they had Zabaleta and Micah Richards at the time, so I knew it would be difficult.
“Mancini came in and from then on they started to buy every player and I knew it would be difficult. I went on tour and the manager said that we don’t need you. We had to fly back and as a young boy I was sad, I was devastated and I knew than that I wasn’t going to make it, I was 17/18 at the time.”
Trippier had two loan spells with Barnsley, and then one with Burnley, before making his move to Turf Moor permanent.
Great to see Kieran Trippier have a successful career after leaving Manchester City
It is wonderful to have watch Trippier enjoy a really successfu career after leaving City as a youngster.
The realisation that he wouldn’t make it for City must have been painful.
But he didn’t let that setback stop him, and he stands today as one of the best full-backs in England.
He’s been brilliant for Newcastle since joining them. He was pivotal in helping them stay up last season, and crucial once again in helping them to all but secure Champions League football this time around.
