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Soccer

Starting Over

It's always difficult for players to start the next chapter of their life, especially if they hav...



Starting Over
Soccer

Starting Over

It's always difficult for players to start the next chapter of their life, especially if they have had a glorious or even inglorious career.

Like anyone who moves on from something they have done for a considerable period of time, working out what next and even where next can be a struggle.

Take Sol Campbell for instance.

A 20-year career playing in the Premier League and an 11-year international career with the England national team, a two time Premier League winner.

Talk about a reality check.

Fancying a step into management where is he starting?

A cross channel team currently bottom of League Two, five points from safety with only 3 wins this season.

He might be a rookie manager and in a vivid illustration of how difficult the transition can be, it's been revealed Campbell travelled abroad so much in search of his first managerial position that he reckons he "should be an ambassador for British Airways".

And yet he ended up in the small Cheshire market town of Macclesfield.

Campbell submitted "at least 12-15 applications" as he sought that first role.

He travelled far and wide seeking every nugget of information he could so that when the opportunity arose, he was ready.

He watched as his former England team-mates Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard took over the reins at Rangers and Derby respectively, left wondering if it was ever going to happen for him.

Former Manchester United and Wolves midfielder Paul Ince also started his coaching career at Macclesfield and has spoken of his "sadness" that Campbell has had to start his managerial career so far down the football pyramid. 

Campbell is just glad to be up and running in the next chapter

"My situation is not unique. I wasn't going to be prepared to stand and wait for another six months or year. Now I'm on the ladder, I'm just going to do the best job possible."

You have to start somewhere!

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