What next for Kieran Trippier?

Breaking news from the world of sport: What next for Kieran Trippier? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Kieran Trippier won 54 caps for EnglandByCiaran Kelly Newcastle United reporterPublished3 minutes agoThe first weekend in May appeared to offer a glimpse into Kieran Trippier's future. Former England international Trippier still believes he has plenty to give as a player, but he has his sights set on becoming a coach when he eventually retires.

It is easy to see why. Although he did not feature in Newcastle United's 3-1 win against Brighton, the unused substitute certainly played his part at St James' Park. It was Trippier who repeatedly barked words of encouragement and passed on instructions to team-mates while prowling the touchline.

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Channelling his inner Jason Tindall, he even attempted to get in the ear of Pascal Gross at one point before the Brighton midfielder took a corner kick. The 35-year-old Trippier did not look like a player who has an eye elsewhere as he enters the final weeks of his Newcastle career. Trippier is understood to have an open mind about his next move, whether that is staying in England or playing abroad, and his three children will be a major consideration in his plans.

However, the defender has been focused on seeing the season out before sitting down to assess his options. 'He was not interested in lifting the trophy'His approach should not come as a surprise. Trippier admitted it will be "emotional" to leave Newcastle at the end of his contract, after spending longer at the club than anywhere else in his senior career.

He is determined to end his four-and-a-half-year spell on a high, and could even come back into the side for a final run following injuries to Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento. There is likely to be a familiar look to the team which lines up against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, as a result. Nick Pope, Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy could start.

Reactions and Expectations

They all featured when Newcastle ended a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the EFL Cup last season. It was Trippier who set up Burn's opener in the 2-1 win against Liverpool in the final, before he went on to lift the trophy alongside skipper Guimaraes and previous club captain Jamaal Lascelles at Wembley. But that had not necessarily been part of Trippier's "selfless" plan, as former team-mate Callum Wilson explained.

"He was not interested in lifting the trophy," said the striker, who is now at West Ham. "It took myself and a few other senior players to say, 'Go on, get your hands on the trophy and lift it with everybody - all three of you do it together because it's a team effort'. "Ultimately, he played a big part in that as well so I felt like that moment really summed him up as a character.

"Such a prospect felt a long way off when the pair spoke on FaceTime to discuss relegation-threatened Newcastle's plight - several weeks before Trippier joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2022.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.