The first weekend in May might have offered a glimpse into what's next for Kieran Trippier—and it wasn't just about what happened on the pitch.
Newcastle United's veteran defender, now 35, still believes he has plenty to give as a player. But his sights are already set on a future in coaching once he eventually hangs up his boots. Even as an unused substitute in Newcastle's 3-1 win over Brighton, Trippier was far from idle. He prowled the touchline, barking instructions and encouragement to teammates, channeling his inner Jason Tindall. At one point, he even tried to get in the ear of Brighton's Pascal Gross before a corner kick.
It didn't look like a player with one eye on the exit door.
Trippier is understood to be keeping an open mind about his next move—whether that means staying in England or playing abroad. His three children will play a major role in any decision, but for now, his focus remains on finishing the season strong at St. James' Park before sitting down to weigh his options.
Leaving Newcastle at the end of his contract will be "emotional," Trippier has admitted, especially after spending longer at the club than anywhere else in his senior career. But he's determined to end his four-and-a-half-year spell on a high. With injuries to Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento, he could even return to the starting XI for one final run.
That could mean a familiar look to the lineup when Newcastle faces Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Names like Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock, and Jacob Murphy could all feature—players who were part of the squad that 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 that 2-1 final win over Liverpool, before lifting the trophy alongside skipper Guimaraes and former club captain Jamaal Lascelles at Wembley. Not that it was part of some grand, selfless plan, as former teammate Callum Wilson might tell you. But for a player who has given everything to the black and white shirt, a fitting farewell might still be written.