Tottenham Hotspur travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley on tomorrow lunchtime as they aim to keep the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race. Going into the game Burnley manager Sean Dyche has spoken in glowing terms about his former full-back Kieran Trippier.
Trippier moved to Spurs in the summer of 2015 from the Clarets and was in and out of the side in his first couple of seasons at the club. However, since then the 28-year-old has gone from strength to strength and has become a key member for Spurs as well as for England.
The Bury-born defender recently credited Sean Dyche with turning his career around by helping him become more professional, and now his former manager has insisted that he always knew Trippier was a great talent and that he would feature for England one day.
The full-back was instrumental in helping Dyche’s men win promotion in the 2013-14 season. He was also one of the team’s bright sparks in their Premier League campaign the following season which ended in relegation.
Speaking about Trippier, Dyche told the Burnley Express, “I mentioned it years ago when I had him and we were in the Championship. I said to the powers that be at the FA that you should be monitoring this lad.
“I had great belief in his ability and I thought his defensive understanding was improving and I thought it would improve working with me and my staff here and the team which it did.
“Football is about opinions, I can only have mine and I can’t guarantee it rubs off on everyone else’s. I am pleased for him because when he first went to Tottenham it was a bit up and down and he was in and out and it was difficult for him but he has stuck at it and continues to get his rewards for what he does.
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“He was a valuable part of us and he is becoming a more and more valuable part of Tottenham. I know they have other options but he is more and more an increasing part of them and also on the international scene so all credit to him.”
Dyche went on to say that he was surprised by how long it took the Englishman to become a regular under Pochettino at Tottenham.
He added, “I have always said he was a top player. I was amazed it took so long for him to be playing regularly at Tottenham but every manager will have their own reasons for that.
“But only because of what I saw here every day, his ability is outstanding, his technical ability. I enjoyed being around him, I enjoyed him being in our camp, I enjoyed his performances in training, his desire was improving all the time, his professionalism was improving all the time.
“The understanding of the profession not just the game and that has continued to grow into a real all-rounder and a very good professional. Apart from Saturday we want that to continue.”
“He stood out for different reasons [at first], we helped him realign that side of his profession. I just love the kid, his character, his manner, his inner-drive and determination.
“He wouldn’t really shout the odds about it but the way he trained and went away about it. There is a lot to like about Kieran.
“I don’t keep in touch with many players because of the nature of the business but I do with Kieran, just now and again we share a couple of text messages and that sort of stuff because he is just one of the best packages I have come across as a footballer.”
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