Sol Campbell says it’s an honour to get his first job in football management after being appointed the new manager at Sky Bet League Two club Macclesfield Town.
Campbell who made 135 appearances for Arsenal including playing a pivotal role in the invincible season is relishing his first job as he said, “It’s been a long time coming”.
Campbell was formally unveiled as the new Macclesfield manager on Thursday 48 hours after he was appointed on an 18-month contract.
When asked why he took the job at the Silkmen Campbell’s response was “You have to take the opportunity when it comes when I got the message about coming to Macclesfield I didn’t look where they are sitting in the league”.
“I’ve studied a lot, and yes I understand this is my first full-time job-I understand that-but I have got to start somewhere. I’m honoured to be here, and I will work my socks off.
When asked about keeping his new side in the English football league the former defender said, “There’s enough games left to rectify this position”.
“In this league you just have to get the basics right, you have to get the detail right in League Two picking up second balls and set pieces”.
“The difference between the Premier League and League Two is just margins, decision-making and things like that”.
He begins his managerial career four years after describing the lack of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) managers in English football as a “sad indictment” of the game.
Asked if he could see improvements being made, he replied “I’m not going to go down that road and state the obvious”.
Campbell says when asked what his aim is with the Silkmen “My first job is to get Macclesfield further up the table and then we will go from there”.
“I know some Macclesfield fans will probably be saying ‘What is going on here? But you’ve got an international footballer, who has been one of the best footballers in the world coming to your club. I think it’s a nice mutual balance there”.
Campbell a league cup winner and three-time FA cup winner in his playing days was no stranger to a cup final and he wants to pass that mentality onto his new group of players by saying “Every game is like a cup final and that’s what I want from our mentality on the pitch”.
“I took my first training session today (Thursday) after half a game against Exeter which was quite nice, watching from the stands, and I took some notes into the dressing room at half-time “he added.
When asked would he use his contacts at Premier League clubs Campbell said, “Loans are the way forward relations with the bigger teams are very important I’m already on that.”
“With those relationships I am hoping to bring in some players who wouldn’t usually think about coming here”.
Campbell’s first game in charge will be their Checkatrade Trophy second-round tie away at Newcastle United Under-21s on Tuesday 4th December.