Sol Campbell (Newham, England, 1974) has been retired for more than a decade but is still linked to the world of football. While looking for an opportunity as a coach, he tries to pass on his experiences, as he did at the Winter League Convention in Antalya (Turkey), an event about the growing soccer industry. l he is an Arsenal and Premier League legend. An authoritative voice to talk about the role of Arteta in the ‘Gunners’ and the fashionable player in Europe: Jude Bellingham, who believes that going to Real Madrid could benefit him greatly.
Bellingham is now one of the best players, but is he a player for Real Madrid?
Real Madrid is obviously one of the great historical teams and the way he is doing it, if he goes in the same direction, it would be perfect for Real Madrid because he is very young. He’s way ahead in a lot of things, he just needs the right club and the right manager to guide him in the right direction, that’s all, and the right environment, because sometimes you can go to the wrong environment and waste your talent for a few years.
Madrid is betting on very young people…
If he goes to Madrid, he will improve the team, but also the club can keep him in the future. It is a club that knows what to do with young players, to make sure they are going in the right direction and continue to perform. And at Real Madrid, if you’re good, you stay a long time. They keep all the really good players and Bellingham is one of the best young players. You just need the right environment to keep your feet on the ground and keep learning.
Sol Campbell and the editor of MARCA
Does Real Madrid really need him?
Yes, I think it would be perfect for Real Madrid because they will improve. Obviously, at the beginning it would be difficult because he is young and then you know, Real Madrid is a very big club and you have to handle the pressure, but once he gets used to it, he has the right environment around him.
But for the English it will be better to see Bellingham in the Premier League…
He already left Birmingham City for Dortmund. Buying teams are very smart in this business and are making this type of player selection. Now he is almost too good for the club and he has to go, but many players have done this, gone abroad and settled there. Yes, some come back. But for me, if I had a team like Real Madrid or one of these big clubs, I wouldn’t need to go back to the Premier League. Yes, there are great clubs in the Premier, but Real Madrid… historically, you know, is the one with the most Champions League.
There are times when I think Bale should have won the Ballon d’Or but he was in the middle of Ronaldo and Messi. Two is kind of a family. Three is a crowd
Bale announced his withdrawal. You played against him many times. What is your opinion about him, his career and his decision?
I think it just takes time. I think professional football is tough. It’s hard, especially when you’ve had a long season. What do you need? A free summer. He has had a wonderful career, especially at Real Madrid. Incredible. His end has been a little worse. But all in all, it’s a wonderful race. He has scored incredible goals. It’s to take off your hat. He started as a left back. Then he went from Southampton to Tottenham. He did a little adjustment and the rest is history.
Don’t you think it could have been bigger if it hadn’t been for the injuries and been more professional at certain times?
I think that sometimes in Spain there was too much noise, like with golf. Too much golf, too much golf, too much golf. I think the noise is disappearing. There are times when I think he should have won the Ballon d’Or because he scored incredible goals, gave assists…, but he was in the middle of Ronaldo and Messi and enough to put a third there. Two is kind of a family. Three’s a crowd, you know.
Arsenal could have sacked Arteta, but they kept him and now he’s reaping his rewards
Like an Arsenal legend. What do you expect from this Arteta Arsenal?
Well, the season is not over. I think he is doing very well and everything has gone well, but you have to see it with the full season. It is evident that, after a season and a half where things were not going well with him and he was criticized, they could have thrown him out. But they stayed with him and now he is reaping his fruits. There is still a long way to go in the Premier League and Manchester City are slowly catching up, so it will be interesting to wait until the end of the season. I hope they stay calm and invest just enough to help them.
Invest in what, in players?
Yes. For example, Joao Flix, he was a good option, but he has gone to Chelsea. I would have liked it to end up at Arsenal. But yes, it is what they have to do. To get to the top and give it that push, you need those extra players to make a difference. And you can’t let those players escape because then there are injuries. We have some good players. Nketiah is doing well, scoring goals, but I think Arsenal need a little more just in case. Before this window closes, we need to get some help to get through this and compete with Manchester City, who are tightening up there now.
You played for Newcastle in your last season. How far can this Newcastle go?
It is easy to fight for the Premier League. Maybe in the future, not now. I think that if Newcastle does well it will have to be taken into account in the future. Do they have any money. They have a great hobby, very passionate. My wife is from there and I know a lot about Newcastle. They are desperate to succeed. So, if you have hungry fans and a big budget behind you, you can start to see. And I think it will come, but I think next year.
The next two seasons are really going to cause problems for the big boys in the Premier League. If they go in the right direction and sign the right players and have the right mentality they can win the league.
