Danny Simpson on the dressing room bond, and his future.

[urban.spaceman]

Former Leicester City players miss unique dressing room bond, reveals Danny Simpson

The right-back's own future is in doubt with his contract up in the summer

Players that bid farewell to Leicester City often miss the special dressing room bond at the club, Danny Simpson has revealed.

The unity between team-mates was a key factor in City’s astonishing Premier League title win and players that have since moved on long for the brotherhood built at the King Power Stadium.

Simpson could be another of the title-winning stars to leave in the near future with the right-back out of contract this summer.

The 31-year-old wants to stay but knows his chances of regular first-team football are limited with Ricardo Pereira and Daniel Amartey for competition on the right side of defence.

“Obviously my contract is up at the end of the season,” said Simpson. “Everyone knows I love it here. It’s out of my hands really.

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“I’m pretty sure at some point people in charge will speak to me. I’ve been here a pretty long time so I’m sure they will speak to me and let me know what my options are.

 

“I love it here. I love the lads, I love the staff, the club, the fans, everything. There are lads who have left this place who miss it. I know that very well.

“They miss what we have got here. Everything that’s been built here over the last seven or eight years, probably since Vichai came. I’ve played for a lot of clubs and it’s not always like this. The bond we’ve got in the dressing room – it’s not always like that at clubs.

“They don’t regret moving but they just miss that special bond that ties us together.

“Even before the title win, the lads had come up together from the Championship, we’ve got a lot of special memories together, playing in the Champions League. We’ve enjoyed a lot of special moments. It just brings you closer. It’s a special dressing room.

“It would make it difficult to move, of course. But I’ve been in the game a long time. Football is football and what’s meant to be will be.

“Everyone knows (I want to stay), but it’s out of my hands.”

Simpson seemed totally out of favour at the start of the campaign and did not make his first appearance of the season until November.

Danny Simpson grapples with Raheem Sterling during Leicester City's 2-1 win over Manchester City (Image: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

He is now up to five appearances, having made two in the last week, starting the Carabao Cup clash with Manchester City and coming on as substitute in the excellent 2-1 victory over the reigning Premier League champions.

“Just to feel part of it, it’s really nice,” said Simpson. “To be on there when we got the winner was massive.

“For anyone who is not playing, it’s difficult. Everyone wants to play, but obviously not everyone can.

“Ricky (Pereira) is doing a really good job at the moment and is playing fantastic, so it is what it is. You have to just keep on working hard and then if you come on, try to play your part.

“If you asked me (about my future) in the first few months of the season when I was nowhere near things, (it’d have been different). But last week I played in the cup, played a part on Boxing Day, so I’m just going to work hard and do my best.

“We’ve got a busy week now. It’s more important off the back of the last two results that we don’t go in to the next two games (against Cardiff and Everton) and disappoint.

“We’ve got to build on the last two, they will mean nothing if we don’t perform in the next couple.”

[urban.spaceman]

He deserves a lot of credit for remaining professional while out of favour IMO. He’s been a rock when he has come on recently. 

[urban.spaceman]

Also, this made me smile:

 

?

[Fox92]

I do like Simpson. Again, another that isn't a spectacular footballer but is solid for us most of the time when he is called upon. 

[norwichfox]

Bin.....

 

 

Not really, we didn't start to really get the defence sorted until he replaced RDL in our title winning season. It was not a popular choice with many considering his domestic performance away from LP with hos hands around a females neck allegedly (am I allowed to say "female" or should it be "person of a different gender"?). There aren't many better RB's around of the ilk that don't go charging down the wings. Useful to have a player of his quality to call on from  the bench.

 

I'd like to think he will take a reduced wage extension to his contract

Edited 28 December 2018 by norwichfox

[MPH]

his off-field antics left a bitter taste in my mouth but his professionalism and performances won me over.

 

i hate to not have him in the team but Ricardo is un-droppable at the moment.

 

so much respect for what he has contributed to LCFC.

[matty98]

Great player for us but time to move on really unless he's willing to take a massive pay cut

[Paninistickers]

I've always liked Simmo. There's something refreshingly normal and mischievous about him. 

 

Absurdly lavish birthday parties at the Manchester midland. Lamborghini. A chequered personal life. Summers spent partying at beach clubs. Yet an honest, decent, reliable pro who, like so.many in the title team, brings more than the sum of his parts.

 

I reckon he'd settle for 8 apps per season and a reduced two year extension

[urban.spaceman]

8 minutes ago, MPH said:

his off-field antics left a bitter taste in my mouth but his professionalism and performances won me over.

 

i hate to not have him in the team but Ricardo is un-droppable at the moment.

 

so much respect for what he has contributed to LCFC.

Pretty much my thoughts. He did something reprehensible but has shown remorse and turned his life around. His contribution over the years has been outstanding - as an out and out defender he is one of our very best. 

 

With Amartey injured Claude has turned to him recently to solidify our defence towards the end of matches and allow Ricardo to attack more. I can see him getting a lot more game time. 

[OhYesNdidi]

5 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I've always liked Simmo. There's something refreshingly normal and mischievous about him. 

 

Absurdly lavish birthday parties at the Manchester midland. Lamborghini. A chequered personal life. Summers spent partying at beach clubs. Yet an honest, decent, reliable pro who, like so.many in the title team, brings more than the sum of his parts.

 

I reckon he'd settle for 8 apps per season and a reduced two year extension

That’s not how contracts negotiations work. 

Edited 28 December 2018 by OhYesNdidi

[StanSP]

Funnily enough, just started watching the Leicester - The Impossible Dream documentary that aired after the title victory, and it's at the part about The Bond. Echoes what's said in there, mainly about the camaraderie and the special connection between all the players.

[whoareyaaa]

You know what you will get with Simpson a solid defender, proven a lot of people wrong...  I'd keep him on that basis even as backup if he still likes/wants to be apart of it.

 

 

[Jattdogg]

Must keep.

[treer]

6 minutes ago, matty98 said:

Great player for us but time to move on really unless he's willing to take a massive pay cut

Don't think Top would quibble with his wages as long he is a squad player, he helped win us the league.

Top does not seem like a man to forget.

 

[lifted*fox]

little scamp

 

it's a keep from me - as I've put elsewhere; for those times Puel wants to push Ricardo forward and tighten up at the back to see out games. 

[Stadt]

Been fantastic but depending on whether or not he'd take a massive wage cut it's probably not worth renewing his contract.

[Paninistickers]

2 minutes ago, OhYesNdidi said:

That’s not how contracts negotiations work. 

I dunno how they work. But I guess you mean that 8/apps can't be written into a contract, which is kinda obvious.

 

I'm saying what he'd settle for. If he reckoned on being giving enough of a squad role  - sounds like he'd sign.

 

Good guys to sit in the background are hard to find.

[Stevosevic]

If he's happy to be  backup I would give him another 2 years. 

 

I'm comfortable with him playing in the event of injuries.

[OhYesNdidi]

2 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I dunno how they work. But I guess you mean that 8/apps can't be written into a contract, which is kinda obvious.

 

I'm saying what he'd settle for. If he reckoned on being giving enough of a squad role  - sounds like he'd sign.

 

Good guys to sit in the background are hard to find.

Why would the club pay someone to play 8 games a season? Just bad management on so many levels. 

[GingerrrFox]

Cracking player for a team that wants solid full backs that focus on defending. He’s been a real asset to us but unfortunately as is the way of the world it’s time to move on. 

 

I was a big critic of his at the back end of last season when being asked to do things he’s not comfortable with under Puel but not got a bad word to say about him really. 

 

Fair play Danny 

[AKCJ]

Great that our two title winning fullbacks are willing to help out our new young fullbacks. Both Simpson and Fuchs are first class. 

[Devonfox1884]

Give him another year if he’s willing to take a pay cut. Boxing Day showed us he is a useful player to have. 

 

Issue is once Dan is back he probably won’t really get a look in again. Hence my feeling he’ll probably be off. He’d still do a job for a lower-end prem team I think.

[Paninistickers]

2 minutes ago, OhYesNdidi said:

Why would the club pay someone to play 8 games a season? Just bad management on so many levels. 

Well, at a guess, we'd then have a squad of only 13/14 staff if we employed only those that were likely to feature for most games of the season.

 

 

[KFS]

Best we’ve ever had at back post defending. Solid and sorted us right out when we were in the shit and pushed on from there. 

 

Off the field he’s a massive bellend, but he’s worthy of finishing the season with us IMO.

[Grebfromgrebland]

I think we need to keep him until the end of the season. He's solid back up right now.