Sol Campbell - Free agent (2 Viewers)

[Coventry La La La]

Sol Campbell is currently a free agent, should Andy Thorn try to arrange talks with the 36 year old centre back?

Sol Campbell speaking to Skysports

What is your situation at the moment? I take it you are hoping to be involved with a club next season?

Hopefully. We will see what happens over pre-season and go from there.

You are at a stage of your career where you don't need to accept the first offer that comes along, so are you planning on sitting tight and seeing what comes along?

I'm not going to rush into anything but I would like to, if I can, get the chance to get into somewhere for the start of July, when everyone else starts. Pre-season will ultimately determine how I go on from here.

Pre-season is very important isn't it because it allows you to get used to a new side, a new manager and new team-mates?

It's about the relationship with the rest of the players and the management. They will go away for a week or so, or maybe go away for a friendly in Europe for pre-season, and that's where you get the bonding and you get to know the players and how people play. It's very important in pre-season to get that, but also to get the fitness because if you have a good pre-season that can last you throughout the season. You need to have that level of fitness to fall back on.

Have you given any thought to the level you are looking to get back in at? Are you just looking in the Premier League?

I'm just looking at the Premier League, yeah. I'm not really looking at anything else.

What about a move abroad? Is that something which could appeal, maybe America or Australia?

We've just had a baby just over a week ago so I don't really want to be moving too far away from my family at the moment.

You're 36 now, how many more seasons do you think you have left in you?

A year, two years, we will see what happens. You just have to take each year as it comes. There are a lot of factors that will come into it - managers, owners, the feeling I get about the set-up. There are going to be a lot of things that persuade me to go to a club and a lot of things that need to fit in with my life. I don't mind working hard, playing football and winning games, but there are a lot of things that have to be right for you.

With things having not gone entirely to plan for you last season, is it also about enjoying your football now?

Yeah, it's about enjoying football again, playing football and being part of a team. I do want that again. I don't really want to go through the things that happened last season again.

Have you given any thought to what you might do when the time does come to hang up your boots? Is management or coaching something which might appeal?

Maybe, you never know. I would like to stay in football but we'll see what happens.

 

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[Ernie Machin]

The one position on the field we don't have a problem with. And Sol is damaged goods now. Nein Danke.

 

[gouldberg]

With Turner, Wood, McPake, Cranie, Cameron and at a push Keogh, the last thing we need is an ageing CB who thinks he's better than he now is that would want one last payday.

We're good to go in terms of central defenders for next season. It's upfront and the creative or wide midfielders we're missing.

 

[im-confused]

I don't think we're as good at the back as we like to think.. that massive drop down the table that happened to us.. that was because we let goals in.

 

[pusbccfc]

=huge wages!

 

[Kuklinski]

Sol Campbell would be a liability at this level, and he would want too much money. People should stop allowing big name players who are way past their best to dazzle them. I wouldn't want him here, but I would be more than happy for him to go to Leiscum.

 

[flammablepiss]

I am a big fan of Sol Campbell... especially at Portsmouth I admired him sometimes, he was fantastic and I think gained them an awful lot of points. On the down sides he is a bit slow and very inconsistent and getting old. But he would be an amazing signing. We would do well to get him though.

I definitely believe our defence was our worst area last season and its getting over shadowed by our lack of attack at the moment. Though I guess we need to prioritise on that front.

 

[gouldberg]

I don't think we're as good at the back as we like to think.. that massive drop down the table that happened to us.. that was because we let goals in.

Not true. We had the 9th best defence in the League last season, conceding 58 goals. Our problem was we scored the 6th lowest number of goals in the league, only 54.

Defensively, only QPR, Swansea, Millwall, Notts Forest, Reading, Hull, Cardiff and Norwich conceded less goals. The lowest placed side of all of those was Hull, who finished in 11th, 7 places above us.

 

[sw88]

One answer he gave "
I'm just looking at the Premier League, yeah. I'm not really looking at anything else."

Why are we even asking whether we should look at him when we cant offer what he wants?? Plus i agree with other posters; centre back is probably the 1 position where we can be considered strong (imo) and certainly not an area we need to invest in.

 

[sky blue john]

One answer he gave "
I'm just looking at the Premier League, yeah. I'm not really looking at anything else."

Why are we even asking whether we should look at him when we cant offer what he wants?? Plus i agree with other posters; centre back is probably the 1 position where we can be considered strong (imo) and certainly not an area we need to invest in.

I also spotted he is only interested in premier league. I doubt he will get any offers up there.

 

[im-confused]

Not true. We had the 9th best defence in the League last season, conceding 58 goals. Our problem was we scored the 6th lowest number of goals in the league, only 54.

And how many more would it have been if not for westwood?

With Westy gone we surely need to tighten up at the back.

 

[sw88]

I also spotted he is only interested in premier league. I doubt he will get any offers up there.

No chane cimo unless someone like Swansea get desperate. QPR have money but wont want a waster / someone past it. Same for Norwich. Cant imagine Delia being a fan!

 

[AngryAnt]

Wouldn't want him here, especially after what happened at Notts County. He can keep dreaming about getting back in the prem though, no one will take the risk. The only club who's mildly about to take a chance would be Swansea and i can't see it happening.

 

[PhilWasn'tBabb]

Not true. We had the 9th best defence in the League last season, conceding 58 goals. Our problem was we scored the 6th lowest number of goals in the league, only 54.

Defensively, only QPR, Swansea, Millwall, Notts Forest, Reading, Hull, Cardiff and Norwich conceded less goals. The lowest placed side of all of those was Hull, who finished in 11th, 7 places above us.

Good states my man

 

[ccfc2011]

Avoid sol we would have to pay him big wages and we are ok in defence with Turner Mcpake Craine Cameron Keogh sol campbell 10 years most certainly.

 

[Paxman II]

Could not cut it at Notts County. He is only after a pay cheque. Legs gone. He's finished just doesn't know it yet.

 

[covcity4life]

he was an idiot for leaving arsneal the 2nd time...he says he wants to play but its about money,he took 2 year contract at newcastle over 1 year at arsenal where he was clearly in wengers plans

 

[Sky Blue Sheepy]

1 thing to point out is we also lost our 4 main centre backs at some point in the season. At times we relied soley on Cameron and Keogh; one who is very young and still has much to learn, the other is an attacking right back.

A good run with Turner, McPake and Cranie and those stats will improve still further.

 

[CovLis86]

I cant believe people are saying our defense could be the weakest area...wow.
Im glad someone put those stats up, 9th best defense is very respectable considering our awful position.

Anyway back on topic - NO WAY. Massive wage, well over the hill, dont need a CB... i dont see what part of it would be a good idea?

 

[ccfc2011]

campbell is finished he proved that at Notts County

 

[SkyBlueMania]

He'd fit right in with the current squad! He's got all the attributes, absolutely no pace, not very technically gifted, just out to get a pay cheque etc. Sign him up boys!

 

[TheParsonsHose]

This may happen was he not spotted at the training ground!