Kieran Trippier knows the importance getting three points in their Championship opener at home to Blackburn Rovers on Friday can prove to be if Wolves are to make an immediate return to the Premier League.
The experienced right-back, who rubbished the ‘nonsense’ rumours that he was ever considering stepping away from his move to Molineux this summer, has already had a massive impact on the team since his arrival from Newcastle United.
As one of the players in Cesar Peixoto’s squad who has experience of earning promotion out of the Championship, Trippier is determined to ensure the rest of his teammates are raring to go right from the off this weekend.
On feeling at home with Wolves
“It’s been a good transition. It helped that I knew a couple of the lads before I arrived here, and it was an easy decision for me. Wolves is a great club, and it’s been a great environment to be in.
“I’m not going to say about how tough last season was for the club, for the supporters and for the players, but I know many players who have played for Wolves; Coads [Conor Coady], Ruddy – who I was at Newcastle with – and I’ve been asking them about the club and insight into the club.
“I spoke to Tommy [Doyle], who is obviously a lot younger than me, but I know him from Manchester, and Sam Johnstone, so it was an easy decision for me to come to Wolves and to play for Wolves.
“Speaking to Sam, I was on holiday in Turkey with him and our families, and he was speaking highly of the club, and I’m really close with Coads as well, and he only said positive things. Since I’ve been here, it’s been a great environment to be in. From the chefs to the groundsmen and everybody involved with the club, they’ve made me feel really welcome.”
On having one aim in mind
“I’m enjoying it here and I want to help the club move forward in a positive way and try and get back to the Premier League.
“For me personally, it doesn’t bother me which league I’m playing in. I’m not one of those types of players where I’d be ashamed to go to the Championship. I played in it for many years.
“There were about four or five clubs abroad, a couple in England, but I made the decision to come here, and as I said before, I have no regrets. I always believe in every decision that I make, and hopefully I can use my experience and use my leadership to help the team, the supporters, and the club to get promoted. That’s got to be our goal.”
On untrue contract rumours
“I’d met Rob [Edwards] a couple of times before the end of the season and had good conversations with him. He’s a great guy, but this is football. It’s something I wasn’t expecting, of course, but it’s football – players come and go, managers come and go, but the new manager’s been fantastic. We had a great conversation on my first day, and I like his work method, I like the way he plays.
“I’m gutted for any manager who gets sacked, I was gutted for Eddie [Howe] who has just left Newcastle, and I wish Rob all the best, but I’m here for Wolves, for the club, my teammates, and I want to try to be successful for the new manager and my teammates.
“I read that I was looking to rip my contract up and all this nonsense, but I was on holiday with my kids and I was just looking forward to reporting back to Wolves. I don’t know where it even came from, but it certainly didn’t come from me, otherwise you would have heard it from me. That’s just the player that I am. I never thought twice about ripping my contract up, so it just makes me laugh.
“It’s all paper talk. It goes in one ear and out the other. I’m old enough and experienced enough now to know that it’s part of the game, and you’ve just got to not rise to it.”
Andre off the mark for the season! 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/tkMYihrYCh
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 10, 2026
On the club resetting this summer
“You have to have a reset. The reality is now we’re in the Championship, so you have to reset. You have to forget what happened last season. You got to look forward and be positive.
“New signings do help with that and the morale around the place, but we reset, we go again. We’ve got a new manager, me and Raul have come in, and hopefully there will be more additions to push this club forward, and it can be a really successful season.
“Once you start winning games, it builds momentum, it builds the spirit of the team and the togetherness of the team. Our goal has to be to go straight back up to the Premier League. This has to be our mindset.”
On the difficulties the Championship poses
“When I was at Burnley, we had a small squad and sometimes that can help because you get that togetherness, and in the Championship, you need that because it’s relentless. You’re playing every Saturday, Wednesday, or Saturday, Tuesday, whatever it may be, and there are no easy games. Anybody can beat anybody in this league, as you’ve seen over the years.
“I’ve been speaking to my teammates because the majority have never played in the Championship, so it’s important for myself and the lads who have to help them and try and make them understand that it’s going to be difficult. There’s going to be ups and downs this season, but we’ll be prepared.
“It’s 46 games and there are no easy games at all. It’s totally different to the Premier League. Going to Lincoln away, games like that are going to be difficult, but we’ve got a team of good lads. They are listening to me and Tommy [Doyle] and Arma [Adam Armstrong] who have obviously played a long time in the Championship, but the lads have been ready.”
On starting the league season against Blackburn
“When teams get relegated from the Premier League, everyone wants to beat them. That’s just the reality.
“Whoever we play against, they’re going to want to beat us. But winning always builds up momentum. It builds up a winning mentality and going to the Blackburn game, the first game of the league season, all eyes will be on us and the teams that got relegated.
“But you’ve always got to respect your opposition, and it’ll be a tough game.”
