Tripp gets international call-up with Wales U21s

Callum Tripp’s break-out season has taken another positive turn after he was called up to the Wales U21s squad.

The 18-year-old will join up with Matty Jones’ squad in Spain for games against Andorra and Sweden barely seven months after making his first senior start for MK Dons.

Eligible for the Welsh national team via his nan, Tripp said: “I'm over the moon. I didn't expect it. To be called up to the U21s, such a high level with such good players, it's a special feeling.

“I'll be amongst some brilliant players from different leagues, some in League Two, some playing Premier League football, so it will be great to play alongside them.

“When I heard my nan was Welsh, I was straight on it! The Welsh FA heard about me, contacted me and took me on.

“It's a great feeling, not a lot of people get it. To be able to experience it, to go to Spain and play against other international teams Sweden and Andorra, it will be a great experience and hopefully it will carry on.”

In a wild and unpredictable campaign for the teenager, he has worked under four different head coaches at Stadium MK, and a familiar face in the form of ex-Dons coach Carl Magnay while on loan at Gateshead.

Despite seeing his spell at the Heed cut short after just six appearances, Tripp said he loved his time in the north-east and would happily have remained there for the rest of the season.

Tripp continued: “I've got nothing bad to say about my time at Gateshead, I loved my experience there. I knew the gaffer before I went, which massively helped. He is smashing it up there, and now I watch all the games, hoping they can go up.

“Living on my own was a story to tell! At a young age, it was a scary feeling especially so far from home. But it has helped me massively as a person, not just as a footballer.

“The boys up there are great. It was only a short loan spell, I thought it would be until the end of the season. But I loved it up there.

“The north is a lot different to what I thought it would be, I enjoyed it a lot apart from the weather - I needed three or four more coats! It was a great experience.”