Football world is Sol-d on new boss
IT’S not often that the club at the bottom of the Football League makes almost as many headlines as those at the top of the Premier League.
But then Macclesfield Town have just appointed a man who describes himself as having been ‘one of the best footballers in the world’.
And - to be fair - if Sol Campbell (or Sulzeer Jeremiah Campbell to give him his full name) proves half as good a manager as he was central defender, then the Silkmen should soon be climbing up the League Two table.
There has been plenty of reaction in the meantime, with the former England captain, 44, praised for being prepared to start his managerial career in the fourth tier of English football.
And Macc themselves have been commended for increasing the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) managers.
Among Sol’s former teammates predicting success for him was Paul Ince, who said: “Once they see Sol is in there, they’ll be buzzing.
“The training will probably go up 20 per cent and hopefully that goes into the performances on Saturday afternoons. Just be yourself, don’t try and be someone that you’re not. Sol will be fine, he’s got a good football brain,” the former Macclesfield boss added.
Ex-Arsenal players David Seaman and Paul Merson told radio station talkSPORT Sol was ‘very tactical’. They admitted that they would try and avoid him, through fear of being caught up in a several hour-long discussion on football’s nuances.
Seaman added: “He’s had a lot of interviews with no joy. Now he has had joy he has a massive task. He’s so articulate, he’s so focused, he knows exactly what he wants.
“He was very vocal in the dressing room - he can really get the lads going.”
Merson said that Sol should be ‘respected’ for taking on the job of managing the team currently ranked 92 in league football.
Former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke told the BBC more aspiring black managers need to be given a chance: “Everyone else is getting the chance and people point the finger and say ‘you need experience’.
“I ain’t seen Steven Gerard have much experience, Frank Lampard have much experience. Lee Bowyer doesn’t have any, Joey Barton.
“It’s OK for them and then when it comes to us it’s just about being fair. At least give us an interview and hear our side.”
SOL’S in it for the long term - see Sport.