Sol Campbell quits Notts County

[mathare]

BBC, Sky Sports News etc are all reporting that Sol Campbell has walked out on Notts County after one game and has asked for his contract to be torn up.

Can't say I'm all that surprised really

[scoobydoo]

What a :icon_tong he really is. :ermmm I would've made him pay up some of his contract if I were them....that would've broken his heart. :REGamblMo

[John]

Why did he do it? I don't understand this side of football much. The politics side, that is. Why did he join them in the first place?

[mathare]

Why did he join them in the first place?Money! He was offered a 5-year deal, which at his age is massive, on a decent wage so it became something of a no-brainer for him if he could adapt to life at the lower levels of the league. In theory he should be the big fish in a small pond, the superstar playing well below his level and each game should be a breeze for him. He's getting (got?) too old to really play Premiersip football but League Two should be easy for him.

[John]

OK, cool, understand that, so why quit after one game? That's the bit I don't get! If he's earning a fortune then what's the deal here? He probably had the intention to do this all along.

[mathare]

OK, cool, understand that, so why quit after one game?He's now seen the standard he's up against. He's seen how his team play a competitive match and how poor the opposition are and I think he's shocked, to be honest. Don't forget he is used to playing with world-class players and has done so for most of his career. He's played for years at the top level with international players and is now lining up with, and against, cloggers. It's a huge culture shock for him.

I reckon he was sold a dream, that of the owners of Notts County getting the club up into the world's elite over X years but perhaps the timescales weren't made clear. It will take many years for Notts County to become a big club and I don't think Sol Campbell could hack being a lower league player with no guarantee of success. Suppose Notts County don't go soaring up the divisions like people seem to think they deserve to with all this cash behind them, then what? Then they stay a lower league club, albeit a moneyed club. But for someone who has played on the biggest stages, at the highest levels and against some of the best players in the world where is the challenge, where is the satisfaction, what makes you want to come to work each day?


He probably had the intention to do this all along.I wondered that too and I don't think that's the case. I think he was blinded by money without realising what he was getting into and now he does realise the situation he has panicked and run screaming from it. Eyebrows were raised everywhere when he signed but would you be able to take a step back from the cash being waved under your nose and see it was the wrong move for you to take? And where has leaving Notts County left him? Without a job as he can't sign for anyone else till January now, even though he is a free agent (I think that's the rules anyway).

[yerotsluap]

He's now seen the standard he's up against. He's seen how his team play a competitive match and how poor the opposition are and I think he's shocked, to be honest. Don't forget he is used to playing with world-class players and has done so for most of his career. He's played for years at the top level with international players and is now lining up with, and against, cloggers. It's a huge culture shock for him.

I reckon he was sold a dream, that of the owners of Notts County getting the club up into the world's elite over X years but perhaps the timescales weren't made clear. It will take many years for Notts County to become a big club and I don't think Sol Campbell could hack being a lower league player with no guarantee of success. Suppose Notts County don't go soaring up the divisions like people seem to think they deserve to with all this cash behind them, then what? Then they stay a lower league club, albeit a moneyed club. But for someone who has played on the biggest stages, at the highest levels and against some of the best players in the world where is the challenge, where is the satisfaction, what makes you want to come to work each day?

I wondered that too and I don't think that's the case. I think he was blinded by money without realising what he was getting into and now he does realise the situation he has panicked and run screaming from it. Eyebrows were raised everywhere when he signed but would you be able to take a step back from the cash being waved under your nose and see it was the wrong move for you to take? And where has leaving Notts County left him? Without a job as he can't sign for anyone else till January now, even though he is a free agent (I think that's the rules anyway).

He apparently can sign for another club before the next transfer window as long as he has a "just sporting cause" for leaving Notts County. Not exactly sure what a "just sporting cause" would be in this case though.

[mathare]

He apparently can sign for another club before the next transfer window as long as he has a "just sporting cause" for leaving Notts County. Not exactly sure what a "just sporting cause" would be in this case though.Interesting, thank Paul. As you say though, what would be his "just sporting cause" here? He didn't realise how crap football was at this level? His massive shiny car looks out of place in the car park full of Ford Focuses? He thought the team in stripey shirts was Newcastle and well, it's all up north innit? I'd say he'll be out of work till January

[John]

He's now seen the standard he's up against. He's seen how his team play a competitive match and how poor the opposition are and I think he's shocked, to be honest.

My God, you'd think anyone would watch a few of their match recordings before signing a 5-year contract though, wouldn't you? If you go for a job interview, you do your research. That's no excuse, Sol, I'm sorry mate. It doesn't stack up. He should have found out more about what he was getting himself into. But like you've also said, Mat, he was probably blinded by the money and the so-called financial backing of the club (which I didn't know about, incidentally).


Don't forget he is used to playing with world-class players and has done so for most of his career. He's played for years at the top level with international players and is now lining up with, and against, cloggers. It's a huge culture shock for him.Agreed. Again though, you'd think he'd have looked into it a bit more. Notts County are a lower league team compared to Tottenham and Portsmouth, clearly. Anyone who knows the first thing about football can see this. Something just doesn't add up. Either Sol is really, really stupid and thought that the standard would be "similar" (insert more appropriate word) to playing for Spurs or Pompey, or it was completely about the money and never about the sport. Like you say, he was probably sold a dream based on the club's finances and potential success, but if they've a dream to turn around Notts County then I can't see it happening for at least 10 years. You can't change overnight. Not even if you're Manchester City.