Trippier recently told Sky Sports that he could have earned more money by leaving England, but staying in England to be with his children was more important.
Kieran, great to see you. How have you been?
Good, mate.
This is your new home, and your seventh club.
Yes, ever since I came here, I've loved it. Like I said, there are good coaches and good players here, and it's great to be here.
So, why was Wolves the right choice for you this summer? After all, you could have played abroad, and you might have earned a lot of money elsewhere. You've had such a brilliant career, and there's no doubt you've always been a target for many teams.
Yes, like I said, I could have gone abroad. Financially, it would have made sense for me to go abroad, but I just wanted to stay in England. There's more to it than money. As I've said before, I'm closer to my children, and that's the most important thing for me. Wolves is a big club. I'm also not afraid to play in the Championship, as we often say. I've played in the Championship many times in my career. I know some of the players.
Do you remember your debut back in 2010?
You were on loan from Manchester City to Barnsley, a young lad with a dream. Yes, just trying to make a name for myself. And I'm grateful to Matt Robins, who gave me my debut. Darren Moore also played a big part in those few months on loan before I came back. So, I've come full circle. I've enjoyed every minute of my career. As I've said many times, I wouldn't change a thing. I strongly believe everything happens for a reason.
You've said publicly many times that you hope to play for many years. You know, Vardy is already 37, and he's still playing. You also see other players still performing at a high level. Is that your mindset and ambition? You just want to keep playing because you love the sport so much.
Yes, absolutely. I think comparing my time at Burnley or Barnsley to now, it's a world of difference, especially in terms of nutrition. It was so different then compared to now, things like body fat metrics. The manager here is very strict about these things, but the key is how you take care of yourself and how you recover. Like you said, I'm 36, but I've always felt age is just a number.
I'd love to talk to you about your England career, which has been absolutely outstanding. It's almost very similar to Gareth Southgate, because you're one of his trusted players. Do you know how many caps you have for England? 54. Exactly. How many goals? One.
That was an important goal. Unfortunately, the outcome wasn't good—that was against Croatia. You've participated in four major tournaments. And not just to make up the numbers at the World Cup, you've actually made it to the later stages of the competition. Yes, Gareth and I have a very good understanding. I know how fierce the competition is, whether it's at right-back or left-back. But every player I've played with and every coach I've played under knows what kind of person I am, whether I'm playing or not. Looking back at my last Euros, I started almost every game. I knew I would keep starting until Shaw was fully fit, which made sense. I didn't start the final, but I didn't complain. It's not about me, it's about the team. But I enjoyed every moment, even if I'd only played one game for England, let alone 54. Every time I put on that shirt, it's a dream.
You won the League Cup with Newcastle and La Liga with Atlético Madrid. Is there any trophy that is particularly special to you, that you are most proud of?
I think when Atlético Madrid and I won the league title on the last day of the season, that trophy was the most special. I suppose I didn't need to prove anything at that point, but I received a lot of criticism when I joined. In the end, it proved my transfer was worth it. I gave my all for the club and helped the team win the title on the last day of the season. That was really difficult, especially against Barcelona and Real Madrid.
There was a lot of pressure representing Atlético Madrid, and winning La Liga with Diego Simeone—that's a great achievement in itself, isn't it?
Yes, that feeling was amazing. Even going there for the first time was a great experience. He's a brilliant person on and off the pitch, and he taught me a lot about myself. Like you said, winning a title is important, but winning the league title there was very special. I'm also grateful for everything he did for me and the club.
You've obviously worked with many great coaches. They say you are the soul of the team.
Really? That's a huge compliment. Yeah, I haven't heard that said before. But he's really good and very strict. Obviously, now that I'm here, he'll expect a lot from me, both on and off the pitch, and I can handle it. I'll do my best to help. We have a young squad here, and I believe, although it's early in the season, that once we truly gel, we can get promoted. We shouldn't shy away from that ambition. I'm not saying this arrogantly; I just believe in my teammates and coaches. So I don't feel pressure, because I've played in many big games throughout my career. If I see any young player under pressure, I'll take that pressure on myself. I think that's my responsibility. I don't want any teammate to feel pressure. I've played in many big games in my career, and this is not disrespecting the Championship or anything else, because we have many important games here too. But yes, pressure is also a privilege.
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