Carlisle United's Southampton loanee Dynel Simeu: 'This is Carlisle's club, a community. I love it'

Four victories, and four little cameos of big-hearted and mutual enjoyment when it has come to Simeu, the young loan defender from Southampton, sharing the moment with United’s faithful.

It has also marked some positive personal improvement from the centre-half, who admits he did not enjoy the slickest start in the Blues defence but, under Paul Simpson, has risen impressively.

The way Simeu has rejoiced at the consecutive victories over Leyton Orient, Rochdale, Oldham Athletic and Northampton Town suggests this is not simply another Premier League loan player passing through.

Simeu was named man-of-the-match in the Northampton victory (photo: Ben Holmes)

Right now he is a paid-up and entirely committed member of the Blues and their increasingly hopeful effort to remain in the Football League. Simeu’s antics are endearing and clearly genuine.

“I just love the club, the fans are great,” he says. “The adrenaline rush I get from interacting with the fans is something you can’t beat. It means the world. I’m loving every minute.

“We went through some tough times but I always wanted to clap them because without the fans we’re nothing. They keep the club going, they’re the heart of the club.

“I’ve seen messages over the last few days about how much the club means to the fans and it means a lot to me. I play with my heart on my sleeve and if I’m here I’m going to give my all to the team.

🍾 The @VestaWealth man of the match was @dynel_simeu 🧱 #cufc pic.twitter.com/CXLtGXSuqb

— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) March 12, 2022

“At the end of the day it’s about the fans. Yeah, I love Southampton, I’m from there, but I love this club too. This is where I’m at, my focus is here, and who knows what the future holds.”

Games like Saturday’s – a hard-working battle with one of League Two’s best teams, capped with a hugely dramatic ending – also saw the fan interaction bolster Carlisle before it was time to celebrate.

At the back, there was ample work for the likes of Simeu and Morgan Feeney to get through. The former did it to the extent that he was an unarguable choice for man-of-the-match.

Again, he stresses the value of those people in the stands. “For me personally, external factors such as fans keep me going,” he says. “When you make a big block or tackle you get the roar, and the emotion and energy you get from it is just great. You want to hear it again as soon as possible.

Simeu has impressed in defence in United's four straight wins (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“It shows you’re not alone and it’s almost like you’ve got a whole team behind you. I love it, and I think it’s just important to show your appreciation, otherwise what’s the point of them being there?

“The away game in London [at Leyton Orient], some of them travelled so far. I do the journey myself but they do it to watch a football game. We’re really grateful to them and hopefully they keep supporting us.”

That wish seems guaranteed to be met bearing in mind the remarkable uplift under Simpson. Simeu is learning a great deal in a short time and the manager’s calm realism about United’s situation is clearly rubbing off.

Full-time on Saturday was a fiesta in the stands but now the matter of 11 further games returns to mind. “The dressing room is bouncing, but it’s really important for us to stay grounded,” Simeu says.

United were jubilant after Jordan Gibson's late winner on Saturday (photo: Barbara Abbott) (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“We know where we are, we’re not even clear of relegation fully yet. We need to enjoy it, this is why we play football, but come Monday when we’re back in we need to switch our focus to Newport at home. It is important to enjoy the good moments but we have to remember there are still 11 games to go.”

Simeu and United have grown more defensively secure since Simpson switched to five at the back, reckoning that extra numbers could help at a time the Blues were short of experience.

The move has undeniably paid off, though Simeu believes other, less tangible reasons are also behind the improvement. “I’m not too sure [if it’s down to five at the back] because I think managers can change tactics, but at the end of the day it’s about how much we want it.

Simeu's celebrations have been a feature of recent United games (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“You can play with 11 defenders, or ten midfielders, but it’s about being together and working our socks off. It’s running, blocking, and I think what we were lacking [in previous games] was the real basics, the winning mentality.

“It’s about wanting to defend. It’s not easy to concede straight away, after scoring [as we did against Northampton]. We kept going then Gibbo [Jordan Gibson] slots away a penalty. It’s about great togetherness.”

Simeu and Feeney, plus Jon Mellish, have formed a wholehearted central barrier under Simpson. The former Sunderland and Everton man Feeney has become a fan favourite in that time - and also someone his peers admire.

“I love Morgan,” Simeu smiles. “He heads everything. I think that guy would head a missile.

Morgan Feeney "would head missiles", says Dynel Simeu (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“We all love defending. First and foremost we’re defenders, and we’re all ready to put our bodies on the line.

“I think it’s really important to congratulate each other when we do that because for a defender it’s equivalent to scoring a goal. If we let that go in we have to score more, so who knows what the result might be. Every defender so far has been brilliant. Joe [Riley], Jon, Jack [Armer], Morgan and the keeper [Mark Howard] – he’s made some big saves when we’ve needed them.”

These are positive thoughts from a young player who came across as being exceptionally grounded when he faced the media after Saturday’s game. He was identified as a top target by former boss Keith Millen and took time to perform assuredly in his first experience of first-team football.

Simeu was a top January target of previous United boss Keith Millen (photo: Amy Nixon)

Initial outings were difficult, but Simeu now feels he is better for them. “I’m just loving my football at the moment. I thought it was tough coming to the club when it was on bad form, and it wasn’t the start I wanted.

“Huge credit to the lads, they’ve made me feel so comfortable. What doesn’t break you makes you stronger, and I’ve just been tunnel vision really.

“I’ve focused on myself, but I’ve had the whole team behind the scenes reminding me what I’m good at. I think working hard every day and having that focus has helped me to develop into a better player.

“I think I can’t be satisfied with what I’ve done – I’ve got to keep going. When I came I said I was going to embrace the challenge, and I was going to be full-on. The one goal of mine I have through it all is to develop as a player and help the team.

“The team comes first, and if I’m going to develop properly I need to be a team player. I can’t shine if the team doesn’t help me, so all of them deserve real credit for what they’re doing for me.

Simeu says his United team-mates have helped him greatly since joining on loan from Southampton (photo: Ben Holmes)

“I don’t know how many players there are, it’s not just the starting 11, it’s Tobi [Sho-Silva] coming on and scoring. It’s all so important. Even the injured lads, like Rod [McDonald], a centre half with a load of experience. He’s been superb for me. He’s given me encouragement for every game and even though he’s just coming back from injury and gutted not to be involved, he’s helping me.

“It’s little things, like the skipper Callum Guy who is always helping me, and Mark Howard has been huge for me. He’s such an experienced keeper and he talks me through the game on and off the pitch.

“The lads love to banter me because I ask so many questions, but I’m here to learn so that’s not going to stop.”

Simeu has been a top prospect for most of his young footballing life, initially at Chelsea and now with Southampton, with England youth experience thrown in. Simpson, though, pointed out that League Two football is a different sort of “university”.

Undoubtedly he will leave Carlisle the better for the education, hopefully with the Blues safe and secure in the EFL.

Paul Simpson says League Two football is a tough footballing "university" for young players like Simeu (photo: Barbara Abbott)

“I think I’ve just got really high standards and that’s been set from my background and where I’ve come from,” he says. “I’ve always kept that with me, and I think we’ve set high standards as a team as well. It’s about sticking to it now, and I know the areas where I need to be better.

“When I watch back the [Northampton] goal I’m not too sure if I could have done more, but as a defender I can always do more. I just think I have to be really critical about my game, because I’m learning. I’m not going to be the finished article.

“The fans have been patient with me, I came in and had to find my feet, but now I’m enjoying my football and I’m getting more comfortable, but it can’t stop there. I need to get better and better.”

Yesterday saw Simeu turn 20, an occasion he planned to celebrate with his family who were heading north to see him for the first time since his Cumbrian journey. Tomorrow will see him head into battle for the latest time, against Newport County.

It is a fair difference from sterile Under-23s academy football. “The main difference is that you don’t really get the atmosphere at 23s and the pressure doesn’t build,” he says.

20!🎈🎊 Thankyou God for helping me to see another year!🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/ZqUiMBxbHc

— Dynel Simeu (@dynel_simeu) March 13, 2022

“As much pressure as you can put on yourself, the external pressure in the league is huge. 8,500 fans [at Saturday’s game], that’s incredible and it’s pressure in itself, along with the expectations you put on yourself.

“Even the table, a few games ago we had big problems, and we still aren’t clear, we still want to win every game...but being down there is reality. Within the first month unfortunately we weren’t doing too well, we saw a manager [Millen] go, which wasn’t nice, but I’m learning that things like that are real.

“You don’t see this side of it in the academy. So much has happened so quickly and it’s about staying focused. This is men’s football, it means so much to so many people. This is Carlisle’s club, this is a community. It’s not just a kickabout.”