Campbell signs for FIVE years with Notts County

Xavi6

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live_feed/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/09/08/25/manual_153915.html&ID=

SOL SIGNS FIVE-YEAR MAGPIES DEAL

Notts County have confirmed the signing of Sol Campbell on a free transfer, with the defender revealing he has agreed a five-year deal.

The ambitious League Two club, who were taken over by middle east consortium Munto Finance this summer, unveiled the 34-year-old former Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth defender at a press conference at Meadow Lane on Tuesday afternoon.

Magpies manager Ian McParland said: "Sol's record speaks for itself and he's achieved just about everything in the game.

"He's a great player and a great organiser and his experience will be invaluable to our push for promotion this season.

"We are very happy that he has taken on the challenge and we are looking forward to getting him settled into the team and seeing him pull on a Notts County shirt as soon as possible."

5 years! So he'll be lifting the Premiership trophy at 39 :pac:

thorbarry

I can only think of 2 reasons he is moving there. Lack of ambition and Money

Frisbee

Ambitious

Royale with Cheese

The length of the contract is probably what convinced him. How many other 34 (nearly 35) year olds have been offered 5 year deals? He can get paid probably what he was earning in the Premier League, and swan around like he owns the place. As far as cushy jobs go, this one is right up there with the best of them.

premierstone

thorbarry wrote: »

I can only think of 2 reasons he is moving there. Lack of ambition and Money

I say fair play to him he'd be a fool to turn it down and Im sure he has been promised a coaching role aswell.

thorbarry

premierstone wrote: »

I say fair play to him he'd be a fool to turn it down and Im sure he has been promised a coaching role aswell.

if there is a coaching role involved then i suppose its not too bad, but in my opinion a professional footballer should always be striving to play at the highest possible level they are capable of. I still think he can cut it a premier league level, or even championship

mike65

Ideal retirement plan.

LuckyLloyd

I think it's a good move. He'll dominate at that level while leading a team that is winning games and in the hunt for a couple of promotions over the next couple of years. He's gone a bit creaky in the Premiership, fair play to him for realizing that and committing to a step down for the remainder of his career.

dubmick

bizarre move.

what is the story with everyone 'thanking' people? Maybe we need an 'Agree' button.

thorbarry

dubmick wrote: »

bizarre move.

what is the story with everyone 'thanking' people? Maybe we need an 'Agree' button.

i agree haha

SlickRic

he knows how cushy it is too.

the smug look on his face was priceless.

MementoMori

Saw somewhere else about it being a stepping stone to a coaching role so I'd assume that's what the length of the contract is about.

Also pretty handy for Notts County to have someone as experienced as him on the bench as emergncy CB cover down the line (in 2/3 years), and would free up funds to focus on other positions in the squad.

There is also the fact that Portsmouth seems to be plunging into the abyss at the moment so I don't think you can blame him too much for wanting to get out of there.

Sounds like he took the best offer he had on the table to get out of Fratton Park, which has to be pretty worrying for Portsmouth fans.

Necronomicon

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

The length of the contract is probably what convinced him. How many other 34 (nearly 35) year olds have been offered 5 year deals?

Nail on head there. I mean some might say it's all about the money, but even if that is why he's moved there, so what? Approaching 35, if he stayed in the Premiership he most likely would have gotten a one-year deal and next summer he could be back to square one. I don't think it's unreasonable to look out for yourself when coming to the end of your career, and he's gotten an astounding deal. On the playing side of things, League 2 might be a culture shock in the short-term. But the club do look like they mean business and who'd bet against them moving quickly up the divisions with the resources at their disposal?

kenon

I doubt he'll have the legs till 39, sure they're practically gone at the moment.

The contract has a coaching role attached to it so I'd guess thats why its that long.

Necronomicon

I'm not so sure the stuff about coaching was anything more than speculation - open to correction here but listening to the press conference in the background he certainly didn't confirm it when asked. There is an ambassadorial role though for all the activities off the pitch.

kenon

London Evening Standard wrote:

Campbell, branded a "Judas" by Spurs fans since moving to rivals Arsenal in 2001, has joined League Two Notts County in a player-coach role. Redknapp still sees the 34-year-old as a Premier League player but accepts there was no way he could sign him, given the history involved.

Full article

He is playing the coaching part down for whatever reason.

blue-army

I'd love to know how much they're paying him.


Apparently they already broke their transfer record a few weeks back spending £800,000 on Kasper Schmeichel! For a League 2 team that's HUGE money.

Royale with Cheese

Sky Sports News said he is now the highest paid player in England outside of the Premier League. Must be huge wages if you consider Newcastle would still have some decent earners on their books.

flahavaj

Would he have been a better bet for Liverpool than that Greek guy?

kenon

flahavaj wrote: »

Would he have been a better bet for Liverpool than that Greek guy?

Liverpool wouldnt give him anywhere near a 5 year contract or anything like the money at Notts County.

flahavaj

kenon wrote: »

Liverpool wouldnt give him anywhere near a 5 year contract or anything like the money at Notts County.

Obviously not, but they would have given him one last shot at Champions League football and a chance to join a squad challenging for the premiership. I'm not saying he would have chosen them, but from Liverpool's perspective I thought they'd have been interested in a guy like him on a free transfer, especially given their lack of funds.

But you're probably right: Notts County >>>> Liverpool.:pac:

kenon

flahavaj wrote: »

Obviously not, but they would have given him one last shot at Champions League football and a chance to join a squad challenging for the premiership. I'm not saying he would have chosen them, but from Liverpool's perspective I thought they'd have been interested in a guy like him on a free transfer, especially given their lack of funds.

But you're probably right: Notts County >>>> Liverpool.:pac:

I would of been surprised if Liverpool were interested in him.

They just got rid of Sami Hyypia who is similar, advanced age, moves like a ferry, good reader of the game etc.

Free transfers are great but usually the wage demands are higher than transfers where a fee is involved.

Wreck

I heard him interviewed earlier and he said that it wasn't just the money, that he was offered more money by other (premier league clubs).

flahavaj

kenon wrote: »

I would of been surprised if Liverpool were interested in him.

They just got rid of Sami Hyypia who is similar, advanced age, moves like a ferry, good reader of the game etc.

Free transfers are great but usually the wage demands are higher than transfers where a fee is involved.

If he had his way I think Rafa would have kept Hyppia for what he was, fourth choice central defeder. But he couldn't guarantee him the regular football he wanted in his final year. Saying they "got rid" of him is disrespectful to a great defender tbh.

Personally judging by Kyrgiakos' showings as a Rangers player at least, I'd have Sol as a squad player any day.

kenon

flahavaj wrote: »

Saying they "got rid" of him is disrespectful to a great defender tbh.

I meant no disrespect to Sami, he was good in his day.

flahavaj wrote: »

Personally judging by Kyrgiakos' showings as a Rangers player at least, I'd have Sol as a squad player any day.

I dont think 34 year old Sol wants to be a squad player.

mormank

thorbarry wrote: »

if there is a coaching role involved then i suppose its not too bad, but in my opinion a professional footballer should always be striving to play at the highest possible level they are capable of. I still think he can cut it a premier league level, or even championship

LEE TRUNDLE FTW!! :pac:

Hank Scorpio

fair play to him is what i say, he took enuff sh1t from the media in recent years and from fans

guy is a millionaire and if he wants to earn abit in a lower league with a coaching option there is nothing disrespectful in that!

Dave!

Good move tbh

grenache

Very clever move. He'll play away for the next two years, then retire to take up a full time coaching role with the club. The way things are going the balance of power in Nottingham (and the East Midlands in general) is going to sway in Notts direction. With the amount of money they're spending, you can be certain they'll be in the Championship within 3-4 years. And after that, anything is possible. The infrastructure is already there, fantastic stadium, good fan base and now the money to match. The future in that neck of the woods is black and white it seems.

angel01

Good for him, I hope he does well there. I am sure he will get good coaching experience there.

Ping Chow Chi

grenache wrote: »

The infrastructure is already there, fantastic stadium, good fan base and now the money to match. The future in that neck of the woods is black and white it seems.

I would disagree with most of that, but there are plans afoot for a shared stadium with forest (pending the world cup bid) and the fans will come with the money. I still think that they have a ways to go before they take over the mighty Forest though

Daysha

Well that was quick!

EXCLUSIVE: Sol Campbell walks out on Notts County - after just one game!

Sol Campbell has walked out on Notts County - after only one match. The former England defender has asked County to tear up his £10million, five-year contract having spent most of his time at the newly wealthy League Two club on the sidelines.

Campbell packed his boots and said his goodbyes after training on Tuesday as his gamble to drop out of the Barclays Premier League backfired spectacularly.

The former Tottenham and Arsenal star was unveiled only three weeks ago and the signing was intended to demonstrate the ambition of County director of football Sven Goran Eriksson.

Former England manager Eriksson had badgered Campbell to join County throughout the summer and last month the defender finally agreed to commit to the project, which is said to be backed by Middle Eastern millions.

But after leaving Portsmouth as a free agent when his contract expired at the end of last season, Campbell did little in the way of pre-season training and delayed his debut until last Saturday during a 2-1 defeat at Morecambe.

Campbell, 35, was hardly the star turn and he was given Monday off by manager Ian McParland, reporting into training yesterday complaining of a sore hamstring.

But after speaking to McParland (right) and asking for his permission to leave, he packed his belongings, telling colleagues he would not be returning.

County, who will review the manager's position next week after results tailed off, are set to grant Campbell's wish and have agreed to release him from the £40,000-a-week deal he signed.

Campbell had expected to undertake some coaching duties at the club but will be in great demand as a player again because he will be a free transfer.

Newcastle were interested in signing him during the summer and, with a takeover finally seeming likely at St James' Park, may well target him again.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has described him as one of the top six defenders in the Premier League and would have signed him if it were not for his history with the club.

The future for Notts looks considerably more questionable. In addition to losing their marquee signing quitting the club, the ownership of the club is continuing to come under the scrutiny of the Football League.

They have requested documentation about the club's major shareholders after they were taken over by Swiss-based consortium Munto Finance, who were fronted by executive chairman Peter Trembling.

Middle East backers are thought to be involved but the identities of the people behind Munto Finance are unknown and League rules state that all club directors and significant shareholders must pass a 'fit and proper person' test.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1215409/Sol-Campbell-walks-Notts-County--just-game.html

Daily Mail I know, but it looks pretty legit.

ronbyrne2005

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2650775/Sol-Campbell-quits-Notts-County.html

Is he gone nuts again or hoping to return to spurs with arry?

Kirnsy

not a chance he'll end up at spurs. they want his blood.

Xavi6

He had an absolute shocker at the weekend according to James Richardson and the boys. Maybe couldn't be arsed with the rough and tumble of lower league football. Doubt he's short a few bob anyway.

gucci

Wow....if thats true.....

Limerick Dude

The guy has a few screws loose upstairs that for sure.....

Boom_Bap

i also heard that he had a rough time at the weekend but didnt see it myself. If he can afford to walk away from that contract then fair play to him.
I wonder if any premier league teams will try nab him?

Mr Alan

would have taken him at Liverpool if he was willing to be on the bench.

Limerick Dude

I'd actually take him at Newcastle but he just seems to be such a loose cannon these days.......perfect for us :P

Boom_Bap

Mr Alan wrote: »

would have taken him at Liverpool if he was willing to be on the bench.

after the greek lads performance last night Sol would be well down the pecking order......but he would be handy

MagicMarker

The guy's an fool.

Chucky the tree

On the BBC site they had quotes from Arsene Wenger about the move, got it spot on anyway.

Arsene Wenger, who was Campbell's manager at Arsenal, expressed doubts about how he would handle dropping down a few divisions.

"Time will show if it is a good move for him," he said. "It depends what is in his mind, if it is purely a football move or if it is a long-term move that he wants to be involved afterwards as a coach.

"Maybe it can be a good decision if he wants to build something on the longer term. On the short term, he will suffer a bit because he is used to top level football.

"When you move down, it is always difficult to cope mentally."

Dave!

It's true

shotamoose

Arsene called it pretty well

However, Arsene Wenger, who was Campbell's manager at Arsenal, expressed doubts about how he would handle dropping down a few divisions.

"Time will show if it is a good move for him," he added. "It depends what is in his mind, if it is purely a football move or if it is a long-term move that he wants to be involved afterwards as a coach.

"Maybe it can be a good decision if he wants to build something on the longer term. On the short term, he will suffer a bit because he is used to top-level football.

"When you move down, it is always difficult to cope mentally."

Hank Scorpio

MagicMarker wrote: »

The guy's a fool.

FYP

Mossy Monk

nuxxx wrote: »

FYP

Heh

newbie2

Epicurus

Xavi6 wrote: »

5 years! So he'll be lifting the Premiership trophy at 39 :pac:

Maybe he realised the way they are going, it would be the blue square premier and not the premiership he'd be lifting

gucci

Seriously whats is Keane thinking about here, surely he cant be serious? Campbell is exactly the sort of character to introduce to a dressing room of a struggling team!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/ipswich/6230164/Roy-Keane-wants-to-sign-Sol-Campbell-for-Ipswich-but-admits-move-is-a-long-shot.html

Rumour has it that ITV 2s negotiations for the reality tv series are ongoing.
Apparently Roy wants to get Peter Andre involved too.

premierstone

shotamoose wrote: »

Arsene called it pretty well

Arsene can see into the future just cant see anything that happened in the preceeding 90 mins IN ARSENE WE TRUST!!