The Football League Paper says...

It’ll be tough but Sol can succeed

HOW Sol Campbell fares in his first managerial job in English football with Macclesfield is going to be fascinating to watch over the coming weeks and months.

There is no doubt he’s had a long wait to land a job and has now got an extremely difficult one on his plate. Yes, he’s been a top player, but can he translate that to management?

Just because you are a good student doesn’t necessarily mean you will be a good teacher. How will he find it dealing with players that aren’t at the same level that he was as a player? How much does he know about League Two and the clubs and players in it?

Yet who is to say that he won’t make a decent fist of it? At the end of the day, football is a simple game. Pick a team, get them organised and playing to their strengths.

With back-to-back wins under their belt in League Two, it’s a good time to come in and Campbell can have a look at his new troops in the more relaxed atmosphere of the Checkatrade Trophy when the Silkmen face Newcastle U21s in the second round on Tuesday night.

Then it’s off to third-placed Colchester for his first league match in charge next Saturday. There will no doubt be a few extra spectators and media enticed to that game.

To help him adapt, Campbell needs to get good backroom staff around him, people who know the level. If he can lean on them for advice and guidance, it will make his life easier.

At the moment, Macc are four points from safety, but that can swiftly change. As any footballer will tell you, confidence is crucial. If you can get a bit of momentum, you can go places.

He also has the rest of December to size up his players before the transfer market opens. If he can keep Macclesfield in the EFL, his stock will rise and he’ll have the chance to climb the ladder.

We wish him every success.