Sol Campbell’s deep interest in interior design is said to incorporate a penchant for symmetry, so it seemed thoroughly appropriate the former England centre-half began his managerial career where his playing days ended.
St James’ Park witnessed his final, half-fit hurrahs and more than seven years on it staged his debut in the technical area as Macclesfield took Newcastle’s Under-21s to a penalty shootout in round two of the Checkatrade Trophy. With the score 1-1 after 90 minutes, League Two’s bottom side lost 5-3 on penalties.
“We played extremely well in patches,” said an animated Campbell who, as an 18-year-old, made his full debut here for Tottenham. “There’s lots of good positives. We’ve got a fight on our hands but I’m enjoying it and the guys are responding. They just need to start seeing the pictures earlier. And, no it’s not a culture shock for me. I get it.”
Although Campbell made only eight appearances for Newcastle during an injury-hit, retirement-prefacing, £35,000-a-week 2010-11 campaign his wife, the designer Fiona Barratt, is from the city and until recently the couple owned a country pile in Northumberland.
Such personal history probably made the 44-year-old’s latest return to Tyneside feel something of a homecoming and he certainly looked at ease on the touchline.
Before kick-off he spent time standing, statuesque, on the sidelines gazing at the imposing, near-empty terraces as a lone photographer snapped away.
After seven years of forlorn football job hunting – even if he applied for only 15 posts – it must have felt a special moment. Campbell was finally making a belated, eagerly awaited, managerial bow, albeit in front of a crowd of 1,126.
His appointment has been met by a mix of optimism, scepticism and sheer curiosity. In expanding the small band of BAME – black, Asian, minority ethnic – managers working in England’s professional game to eight, he offers hope to other non-white coaches but he is not your typical role model.
If many BAME coaches have clearly been overlooked unfairly, it is Campbell’s slightly left-field personality rather than his skin colour that has arguably most hindered his progress.
Set against the 73 England caps and Spurs and Arsenal glory days was the slightly wacky notion of becoming London’s Conservative mayor and his claim to being “one of the greatest minds in football”.
Some coaching acquaintances took fright at his enthusiasm for discussing the subtleties of paint shades and high-end decor rather than concentrating purely on shadow play and swift transitions but surely everyone needs a hinterland?
Having defied near-freezing temperatures with a standard issue, navy blue, hooded, SC-embossed anorak he initially chewed a pen contemplatively, as the 6ft 5in Nathan Blissett – Luther’s nephew – struggled against Newcastle’s defence.
His assessment complete, Campbell began pointing fingers and variously bellowing: “Open up”, “push in” and “second ball” as his team responded by trying to build from the back and using the full width of the pitch. “You can still play football at this level,’ he said.
Sure enough, Koby Arthur sporadically menaced but Macclesfield still fell behind to Elias Sørensen’s 18th goal of the season.
As Ben Dawson – in his 12th month covering for the suspended Peter Beardsley – celebrated, a half‑time homily was perhaps forming in Campbell’s head; his players certainly enjoyed increased second-half possession and equalised after Scott Wilson lifted a shot over Nathan Harker.
“Penalties are always a lottery,” he said. “But the guys had worked their socks off.”
Dawson does not believe such application was coincidental. “Macclesfield looked well organised and were clearly listening to Sol’s instructions,” said an impressed Newcastle coach. “He’s going to be fine.”
