Kieran Trippier has provided detail on how Gareth Southgate is preparing his squad for the familiar drama of a penalty shootout.
Trippier explained that the England manager does not wait until his men reach the knockout stage before spending time on spot-kicks – instead, it is an ongoing process.
The Newcastle defender told The Overlap podcast: “After training you’ll have around four players because if there were 15 or 16 players, it would be carnage.
“Gareth just picks a select few every day in training throughout the tournament, where you pick your spot, you take three penalties and they analyse it.
“They would probably then choose who’s more consistent. We have some incredible penalty-takers in that squad. It is just about being consistent with your practice and being confident in that moment because it is a long walk.”
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The prospect of a penalty shootout is still a long way off but Trippier was delighted with England’s start and with his own contribution to the win over Serbia, having missed a couple of months towards the end of the Premier League season with a calf injury.
He said: “That was my first 90 minutes in about four months. It’s important to get minutes in the legs because in tournament football, the games come thick and fast. It’s about how you recover, how professional you are. I had cramp but I felt good.”
Kieran Trippier played at left-back as England beat Serbia (Dean Mouhtaropoulos)Trippier, like many of the squad, has known only one manager in his England time and says Southgate knows just now to hit the right note with players in a training camp and tournament.
He said: “When I first arrived, we had meeting after meeting. He spoke on what it means to represent England, the badge, the supporters and it always helps that he is an ex-England player.
“It is about trying to bring that togetherness and it has been so long since we won something. Everyone has bought into it, everyone sees that.
“The players love going to camp, players are not pulling out, which is key, and everybody is ready and especially when you go into tournament football, you see the talent we’ve got. I see it all the time, ‘This person should play, that person shouldn’t be playing’.
Kieran Trippier missed a couple of months towards the end of the season with a calf injury (Icon Sport via Getty Images)“I wouldn’t like to be Gareth because it’s tough, he has got nearly 30 players who are playing unbelievably, but he handles it very well and everybody fully respects him.
“I owe Gareth a lot. I have nearly 50 caps. I’m one of those players where if I’m playing or not, I’ll always give everything because when the starting 11 is playing, you have to train the next day, it’s about being committed and making sure that everyone’s on it. You’re away for five weeks and it’s about keeping the positivity.
“Gareth has been the main head of that, what it means to play for England, regardless of if you are playing or not, you always support your teammates. That’s what I’m all about.”
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