Kieran Trippier has criticised Newcastle United’s decision to go to Australia three days after the Premier League season ends to play two friendlies against Tottenham Hotspur and the A-League All Stars, calling the timing “not ideal”.
The England defender has questioned the amount of travel involved at the end of a gruelling 51-game campaign for Newcastle and with the European Championship finals and the Copa America international tournaments set to start in June.
Trippier will be among a number of players — including his club-mates Anthony Gordon, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães, and Spurs’ James Maddison, Richarlison, Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero — who will be expected to link up with their international squads on the back of a 21,000-mile round trip for the matches.
