The best praise Paul Simpson could give Fin Back was by saying he had almost forgotten to talk to him. Back, on loan at Carlisle United from Nottingham Forest, was so “low maintenance” that the Blues manager barely needed to utter a word in his direction.
It was a compliment to the professional nature of the 20-year-old wing-back, and Back himself says Simpson had the measure of him with those remarks.
“I’d like to think that is me as a player,” he says. “I do my job well on a consistent basis. I just get on with it. I don’t need a kick up the backside, I don’t need praising. I’m very level headed.
“I give 100 per cent in training every game, and I’d like to think the manager understands me. He clearly does by saying that. If anyone was to ask me what kind of player I was, that’s what I’d say.”
While an emerging young career can in some ways be volatile, it seems the opposite with Back, who is one of just two players to complete every minute of United’s league season so far (the other is goalkeeper Tomas Holy).
Along the way the Premier League prospect has impressed supporters with his composed yet combative performances. He translates this confidence into the way he talks about his early life with United, too.
“I’m not naïve to think I’d walk straight into a team – you’ve got to work hard and show the manager he can trust you and that starts in training, every day, on and off the pitch,” Back says. “He’s got to know he can trust you, especially as I’m a young lad and it’s my first loan move.
“I didn’t expect to play every minute but I think I’ve deserved to, given my performances, and how I’ve been on and off the pitch. I’ve got the shirt now and it’s someone else’s job to take it off me.”
Back joined Carlisle in the summer in the first loan move of his career. He immediately became a first-team pick in a key position as part of Simpson’s reshaping of the side.
United’s manager, and his approach, was crucial to the move happening in the first place, Back says.
“It’s something [a loan move] I was looking at in January, but it didn’t happen, so coming to this season it was always my aim to get as many appearances under my belt as I could.
“As soon as I spoke to Simmo I knew I wanted to come here. He’s a great manager and everything he said about the club, the people, the fans is exactly what I wanted. I knew I’d fit right in.”
Simpson tapped into a good relationship with Forest manager Steve Cooper, from their days with England’s youth sides, as the arrangement was sealed. Yet Back says it wasn’t simply a case of one boss doing another a good turn.
“It was a factor,” he says, “but it wasn’t the be all and end all. I spoke to a few managers, and as soon as I spoke to Simmo I knew I wanted to come here, because of his passion, his drive, how he told me he was going to help me to improve, that I was going to play games, and the group that he was building -he was very positive and passionate about it.
“I could see that. I’m a very passionate player. I like to know how I’m going to improve because that’s what it’s about.”
Back had made five appearances for his parent club but heading out on loan to League Two was a new experience, one he readily attacked. “To be honest, the only time I felt nervous was on the drive up and when I first arrived,” he says. “But as soon as I stepped in the door, and met the manager, the players and all the staff, I felt at home straight away. I felt really comfortable after the first training session.”
Whilst impressing in his first proper run of league games, Back says he has also learned some key things in his early Carlisle life, such as: “How to look after my body and mind on and off the pitch every day, balancing training, recovery, games, three games a week, up and down the country – it’s something I’ve not been used to at all. I’m having to get used to that very quickly.
“Also, not getting too high and too low, trying to keep a level head. And moving away from home for the first time – I needed it to happen, I’ve learned a lot about that.
“I’ve got a place I share with Sonny Hilton. Which was something I questioned before coming here, but the club are very good and they assured me I’d have a good place, which I do.
“My family have been up and down for some games, which has helped on matchdays, and my friends have come up for the weekend to watch some games. I’ve found it easier than I thought I would have, because of the support systems around me at the club.”
The wing-back role seems tailored for Back, who brushes off its demanding nature. “I like being involved in everything, and if you’re not tired at the end of games then you’re not doing your job properly. I like to think I give it everything in every game and from there you can see what comes.
“One of the things I have learned so far is that every game is different. You come up against a lot of different type of opposition and different grounds when you go away from home. You have to adapt to that, whether that’s with a change in formation or learning about the player you’re playing against quickly.
“It’s been really good, I’m picking up so much as we go along, and I just want it to keep going.”
Back says his experience of the above is “doing wonders for my development” and, while he has enjoyed building relationships in the team with the likes of Jordan Gibson down the right, and Kristian Dennis on the end of supply in the box, he is keen to scratch the itch of his first senior goal.
“I’ve had a few chances. I keep snatching at them and I keep telling myself to just hit the target, so maybe I’ve just got to put my foot through it,” he says.
It is impossible to chart Back’s story without referring to his father, England rugby union legend Neil Back, who has become an enthusiastic member of the Blue Army since his son’s move to Cumbria.
His upbringing has given him invaluable exposure to what it means to be an elite sports person. Back appreciates this but also stresses he is encouraged to be his own person.
“My dad always reminds me that it’s my career and I need to learn things myself,” he says. “He doesn’t push me into any decisions. He obviously gives me great guidance which has helped me understand how to be a good professional player.
“But in terms of experiences, I’m very much learning them myself and there’s no real input from him on that, he lets me get on with it, whilst helping me when I need it.”
Back, whose sister Liv is a talented hockey player who has represented England, was also a promising young rugby player but says his dad applied no pressure for him to follow the same route.
He appreciates his family’s backing in general – as well as his dad’s social media activity. “Sometimes I wake up and look on Twitter and my dad has put a tweet out about something and I just think maybe he could keep that to himself… but that’s what dads do isn’t it!
“He just shows how much he loves watching me, whether it’s on iFollow or in person. He’s been up here loads already and he really likes the people here. He loves coming to watch me and he comes up whenever he can.
“The support I’ve had from my whole family and my friends has been brilliant and long may it continue.”
Whilst Nottingham Forest try to find their feet in the Premier League, there will be a regular eye on how one of their bright young prospects is establishing himself down the divisions. “I know they come to watch my games and they offer me advice when they think I need it, but it’s just about me performing,” Back says.
“I have really high ambitions but whilst I’m here it’s all about this football club and getting the most out of it for myself, the team and fans. I do have the longer picture in mind but for now it’s just about playing games here, and getting good results on the pitch, and improving personally, both on and off the pitch.”
United sit tenth, with one defeat from their opening 11 games, a degree of frustration at some victories which have got away, but with an undeniable foundation.
How far does Back feel Simpson’s team could go? “It’s a brilliant platform to build on, and it’s just about winning as many games as we can. I know that’s not the answer you want but we’ve got to turn these draws into wins,” he says.
“We’ve just got to start taking some of those chances, keeping players fit, and we know we’ll be fine. It’s very early on, there’s a lot of games until Christmas now, and we’ve just got to go on a good run and we’ll see where we are in January.”
The first of that run comes on Saturday, at Hartlepool United, where the Blues will take a sell-out following for a game which usually comes with just a dash of spice. Back seems the type of player who’d relish that.
“Games with a little bit of edge on it are always good,” he agrees. “I was out in the town on Sunday, and I was reminded that this is a big game.
“We’ve got a good training week this week, it will all be towards Saturday and hopefully we can get a good result.”
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