Neville looking over his shoulder

Stuart Mathieson

October 10, 2007

Danny Simpson

GARY Neville will get another reminder of the mounting pressure in the fight for the right-back spot when he returns to action on Thursday for the Reds reserves against Liverpool.

Danny Simpson's impact last Saturday as an hour-long sub against Wigan when he combined solid full-back defending with dangerous overlapping and an assist for Wayne Rooney's goal has lit up the gloom following the Reds kids trauma when they were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Coventry at Old Trafford.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has KO'd hopes of clubs wanting the Salford-born defender on loan.

While he has allowed Lee Martin to switch temporarily to Plymouth and Eire international Darron Gibson has been acquired by Wolves on a three-month deal, he wants Simpson as cover as captain Neville eases his way on the path back to a first team comeback.

Veteran Neville remains red-hot favourite for the role when he's 100 per cent fit but Simpson has given Fergie and Reds fans a glimpse of the future.

Ex-United starmaker Eric Harrison nurtured Neville to Old Trafford greatness but sees a clone of his 1992 Youth Cup skipper in the emerging 20-year-old.

Mould

"He is very similar to Gary Neville in attitude. He's out of the same mould," said Eric.

"Gary wasn't as naturally talented or technically gifted as his contemporaries like David Beckham and Paul Scholes. But he was my captain at 16 because he was made of the right stuff and knew what made a team tick. He made up for other things with his attitude.

"He also worked tirelessly on his game. He grafted to become better technically and succeeded by hard work.

"Danny Simpson is exactly the same. He was a decent player as a young kid but not technically the best. But Danny listens, learns and it sinks in with him. His improvement has been tremendous.

"I don't know whether the coaches at United had question marks over him but when you see a young player work hard, take things on board and progress like Danny has you tick his box."

Simpson could be the first local to make the big breakthrough since Longsight-born Wes Brown.

Is 32-year-old treble winner and seven times Premiership champion Neville under severe pressure for his senior berth?

"If Gary can stay clear of injuries in future then I see him as a player who can play past his mid-30s," says Eric.

"So it is going to be a big battle for Danny Simpson. But at least the manager knows now he has someone there who has the potential and character to challenge Gary."

Do you think Simpson will be Neville's long-term successor? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (38) |

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Octavius Tinsworth Ace (10/10/2007 at 09:35)

On the evidence of Saturday, he looks well up to the job of replacing Gary Neville, eventually. Let's just hope he gets a proper chance to do so and doesn't end up being farmed off on loan before being sold for next to nothing.

Oni Andoko - Jakarta, Indonesia (10/10/2007 at 10:07)

Oh yeah...so interesting to see Oh Danny Boy deliver the cross to penalty box. His movement, crossing & attacking minded remind me of Evra & Gary Neville.
Just keep him tight Fergie. Don't let him down by rarely chance to play at first team out as you did to Giuseppe Rossi. It was so bad to let such talented lad as Rossi has to step-out from OT because lack of first team choice opportunity. Rotation-rotation-rotation...is the key word.

krutt (10/10/2007 at 10:46)

Lets not get carried away here. We only played Wigan who came to defend so Simmo had no winger to worry about. Neville will make my team when he is fit, he's tried and tested, simmo will get opportunities to prove himself, lets face it our young guns fecked up in the Carling Cup and let that be a lesson to them!

Mike (10/10/2007 at 10:49)

I bet when Neville looks over his shoulder John o shea is right behind him!

Duncan, London (10/10/2007 at 11:00)

I agree Oni I would like to see him have more opportunities in the first team at right back.

SIMON., DERRY, N. IRELAND. (10/10/2007 at 11:43)

He was very good on Saturday an his assist definitely helped his cause but you can't seriously think about him been an immediate threat to Neville as Neville is the club captain, has the experience an once 100% fit he'll automatically be first choice again. In saying all that Simpson is only 20 and with a year or 2 as Neville's understudy an more playing time in the proper 1st XI (not the carling cup teams!!!) when Neville isn't available and he'll surely become our next rightback. Up until now I'd always wondered why SAF hadn't made a move for Micah Richards but to be fair I think with Brown doing a great stand in job and Simpson coming through SAF may just have saved himself 20m+. Great to see the youngsters still filtering through even if it is only 1 or 2 a year and as pointed out Rossi was a mistake to sell but at the time SAF was offered good money for a player wif no premiership experience an limited chances too. Lets hope it doesn't happen again. Support the Team and Live the Dream.....

Zeph, Singapore (10/10/2007 at 11:59)

Rotation ? Can't be serious ! Rotation is for the Scousers. Not for United.

That said, what would be ideal is for Sir Alex to choose his squad on form, with healthy competition for spots.

As good as Simmo looked going forward vs. Wigan, he'll need to soak up much experience defending and reading the match flow.

Welcome back, Nev!

Sparky, Salford (10/10/2007 at 12:47)

A little rumour mongering Mike....?

Sparky, Salford (10/10/2007 at 12:51)

If Wes is out i'd rather SAF selected Simpson at RB rather than O'Shea or Pique as they are makeshift centre backs. I suspect Fergie will move for Richards in the summer as i've heard that Nev is really struggling to get fit and appears to have lost a yard through the injury. Simpson is top draw. Phil Bardsley will be sold for sure.

Joe, Malta (10/10/2007 at 12:56)

Its still early days. At times Simpson looks even better than Neville when going forward. However defensively, he s still not up to it.

Also, it seems that he has moved ahead of Bardsley in the pecking order.

JonyB-), North Staffs (10/10/2007 at 13:03)

simon - i think you're right. i'd rather see Simpson developing in that role rather than trying to convert another player into it. His defending was also not out of place, and his support play was much more expansive than Wes's. See him as an excellent understudy to Neville. Also, should be remebered than the Nevilles and Beckhams were allowed to develop in the senior team games with regular 1st team players rather than just playing tinpot cup games??

bobbydazzler (10/10/2007 at 13:21)

simon derry there should be no automatic first choices every one of our players should have to earn their place and be prepared to fight to keep it. the defence has without doubt been the strongest part of our team for last 6 months neville has no divine right to his place.

Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (10/10/2007 at 13:21)

In response to Mike's comments, is it at the end of every season Neville sees City and their pathetic team way behind United in the league table?

Django (10/10/2007 at 13:33)

Wes Brown and O'Shea are well ahead of him as a Neville stand-in. Unless he goes out on loan, he wont see much action. He could well be off-loaded permanently next year along with several others who have failed their League and FA Cup examinations in the last couple of years.

JonyB-), North Staffs (10/10/2007 at 14:57)

Django,
how as simspon failed his league and cup trials?? Apart from the Carling cup when ALL players failed to live up to expectations then it seems a strange statement?? He's never played for utd Regularly and when he didplay regularly last season (in helping turn Sunderland into title winning champions) they requested his extended stay??? Very unlikely he'll be kicked out thankfully!!

Barry, Happy Valley,, San Francisco, California (10/10/2007 at 16:53)

We definately have youngsters
that should keep improving and eventually take over from
the great right back Gary Neville. As for how soon,
I can't see any of these young lads getting close to
just yet to a healthy Gary Neville. The drive and experience he showed last
season before his injury clearly showed no slacking off from the high level of
performance we expect from
one of the worlds top defenders. Once fit, Gary
will push these youngester
to a higher level, help our
defense get (even) better
and even provide some support
for the central defensive area if the need arises.
Gary is just an awesome player and a smashing fellow. As his Dad I just wanted to say thanks for reading this.
Up the Reds

RED AND WHITE, manchester (10/10/2007 at 20:09)

I wouldnt mind being correct in saying that everytime Mike looks over his shoulder(chips on both permitting)he says"Whats happened to the last 31 years",then continues disconsolantly, inflating his trusty Banana.

SIMON., DERRY, N. IRELAND. (10/10/2007 at 20:56)

bobbydazzler - only a complete idiot would even try to twist my point of our club captain becoming our automatic first choice rightback once he is 100% fit. You obviously want some sort of debate otherwise why come out with such utter rubbish as "there should be no automatic first choices every one of our players should have to earn their place and be prepared to fight to keep it"!!!! Are you seriously suggesting that Neville of all people will not warrant his place in the 1st XI? he'll not be giving his all in training and that he hasn't earned his place up til now including the club captaincy??? don't be such a numpty!!! My original comment was merely to point out that Neville is our strongest and most experienced rightback and in no way was ever suggesting that any player keeps their place in the 1st XI on reputation alone. If it is a simple debate you want then at least debate the comment I make in the context it is written rather than doing a Free Red special by focusing on 1 particular sentence and twisting it into something it is not. You simply seen the word automatic and thought you were smart enough to make me look stupid when indeed all you've achieved in doing so is to make yourself look very petty and extremely silly. Of course I'm big enough to accept your apologies if your big enough to admit your wrong, time will tell ehh. Support the Team and Live the Dream.....

de Meester, netherlands (10/10/2007 at 21:04)

I think it's obvious why he's taken a leap to the first team and in-front of Bardsley - good though Bardsley is!
Go on SAF be brave and let him fly!!

Iben Wong (10/10/2007 at 22:07)

We've needed cover for GN for years. I'm glad attention is finally focused on a pure backup rather than Wes playing out of position. Bardsley has not impressed. It'll be great to have GN back and can only make us stronger.

Justin The Great, manchester (11/10/2007 at 00:00)

lets face it our current squad is going through a transition stage...

unfortunateley we are losing three legends slowly but surely... Giggsy, Nev and Scholsey wont last for long. You can already see it kicking in for Giggsy and we may start to see it in Nev.

our young promising players need to understand this and sit tight learning along the way from the masters.

Well done to Danny, he did a great job vs Wigan and it can only gift his chances of further first team chances via the faith of SAF.

COME ON YOU REDS!!! the season is ours!!

Savant, Singapore (11/10/2007 at 01:06)

Too early to predict if he is quality from that one match experience. Wigan came with the notion of soaking up the attack and had barely a threat to our defenders. Did he do a good job? Yeah, he sure did and the overlap and crossing were decent too. But DF too had good games, but never developed the consistency. Would like to see him play more regularly and hopefully he is able to prove his worth against better adversaries.

pok, singapore (11/10/2007 at 02:34)

In order that Simpson can progress, SAF has to play him more and not chuck him back in the reserve/bench. So many good young players have suffered because of this. Nani should have started in the Wigan game instead of Giggs as an example. Pok, S`pore

bobbydazzler (11/10/2007 at 11:38)

simon my point is that in nevilles abscence nobody has turned us over in pl and the defensive solidity is the reason. wes has done a great job in a makeshift role. simpson came in on saturday and did all he was asked and looks a certainty for the future. i think a fit gary nev is among the best right backs in the world but he will have to wait his turn to get back in our team.

SIMON., DERRY, N. IRELAND. (11/10/2007 at 12:36)

bobbydazzler - You see you've answered your own question in that statement, Brown is makeshift and however good a job he has done he'll not do the job as good as a 100% fit Neville. Again I've already stated that Simpson's future looks good but that is what it is, he still has alot to learn and who better to do that from than Neville. However, that was all part of my original post and yet you found something to have a go at me about. Your point of our defense doing so well without him doesn't detract from the fact that it could do even better (especially going forward!!!) with Neville back in the side. He is easily 1 of the best rightbacks in the world and that can only mean United's defense becoming even stronger once he returns. Support the Team and Live the Dream.....

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