'One of the greatest mind in football' quits coaching

He was a great footballer, who played 634 games (with 26 goals and 16 assists) during his 19-year career, he won two Premier Leagues, and four FA Cups, but when he tried to be a manager, it didn't work as good as in the playing days. In fact, it didn't work at all. Sol Campbell, mainly known for his excellent years in Tottenham and Arsenal, decided to quit on managerial job, just six seasons after he started. Campbell started in 2017, when he was named as Dennis Lawrence's assistant manager, after the latter was appointed manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team. Next year, he was appointed as manager of Macclesfield Town, who he saved from relegation to the Conference but left by mutual consent in April 2019. He then took over Southed who were relegated in 2020, after being last in League One in the season shortened by Covid 19.

’Sol was 100% more leader than Henry. Why there is no statue of him outside the stadium?’

He was without a job since and decided not to apply to any managerial posts, citing the lack of opportunities.

“I am not applying any more for jobs. I'm happy to be in a different space now and one I want to be in. Football needs that diversity in terms of management, but for me it seems to have gone backwards in some cases. For me, it is about getting opportunities to fail. Some of my peers have had jobs and it's not worked out and then they have had opportunities again straight away, they've always had a lifeline. That is a nice position to be in. I am not in that position, I would love to be, but those situations are not coming to me. I would love to be involved in football and have chances, but that is not happening. You have to look at football in a different way and that is what I am going to start doing and hopefully it will work out and I will be able to help players, just in a different way. I love coaching, so I am going to go back into football in a meaningful way. I have had to go away, studied at Harvard. I want to be in football in a meaningful way. It won't be on the sideline. “

Arsenal are 'soft' and they need a tough leader, says Gunners legend

Former Gunner, who once called himself 'one of the greatest minds in football' also thinks that future black coaches should be given opportunities as members of the backroom staff with more prominent managers, but that those managers need to make it happen.

“We need to understand not everyone is going to make it to be an amazing manager, but you have to get the opportunity or a chance to prove yourself right or even show you can do the job. Sometimes you get to the stage where you can't fail. Sometimes you have to fail to suceed, but if you don't get that opportunity how can you succeed? There are a few managers who are slowly having diversity in the backroom staff, that can help. Some of the top managers know if they could diversify their coaching staff it would help. That is a start. They are the ones in a strong position, where they have won things and are at great clubs. I think that is how people should start thinking, that is an easy way to kind of get experience and get through the door. Some of the top, top managers have to look at their coaching staff and mix it up a little bit. “

EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

Wednesday

22:45: (6.00) Israel (4.00) Switzerland (1.57)

Thursday

20:00: (13.0) Estonia (5.70) Austria (1.25)

20:00: (50.0) Cyprus (20.0) Spain (1.03)

20:00: (3.25) Georgia (3.35) Scotland (2.25)

20:00: (7.25) Azerbaijan (4.40) Sweden (1.45)

20:00: (6.25) Bulgaria (3.70) Hungary (1.60)

22:45: (1.75) Slovakia (3.70) Iceland (5.50)

22:45: (1.35) Montenegro (5.30) Lithuania (10.5)

22:45: (2.95) Luxembourg (3.30) B&H (2.60)

22:45: (95.0) Liechtenstein (28.0) Portugal (1.01)

Friday

18:00: (1.03) Kazakhstan (18.0) San Marino (90.0)

20:00: (5.00) Moldova (3.50) Albania (1.85)

20:00: (1.95) Finland (3.50) N.Ireland (4.40)

22:45: (2.45) Poland (3.35) Czech R. (3.15)

22:45: (1.58) Denmark (4.00) Slovenia (7.00)

22:45: (1.13) Italy (10.5) Macedonia (22.0)

22:45: (1.01) England (28.0) Malta (95.0)

Saturday

17:00: (4.40) Armenia (3.50) Wales (1.95)

20:00: (1.57) Belarus (3.80) Andorra (8.00)

20:00: (22.0) Latvia (10.5) Croatia (1.13)

22:45: (1.33) Switzerland (5.40) Kosovo (11.0)

22:45: (1.15) Netherlands (9.50) R.Ireland (19.0)

22:45: (2.85) Israel (3.20) Romania (2.60)

22:45: (1.01) France (25.0) Gibraltar (70.0)

Sunday

20:00: (1.10) Sweden (11.0) Estonia (37.0)

22:45: (12.0) Liechtenstein (5.50) Luxembourg (1.32)

22:45: (2.40) B&H (3.40) Slovakia (3.20)

22:45: (2.10) Scotland (3.50) Norway (3.80)

***odds are subject to change***