Campbell sees bright future in TT football

JOEL BAILEY

SOL CAMPBELL, assistant coach of the Trinidad and Tobago men’s football team, sees a bright future in the squad, as they look towards the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The 43-year-old ex-England defender, who was recruited by men’s coach Dennis Lawrence in March, said in a recent interview, “sometimes we’ve got to get on with it. (The 2018 Road to Russia campaign was) difficult.

“Obviously it was a new management,” he continued. “We’ve shown improvement and we’ve shown that we can win games. That’s the main thing. We’ve just got to get it together.”

Campbell added, “In terms of the players, sometimes when the players go away, they’ve got to maintain that high level of training so when they come back to play for us, they’re nice and strong.”

This was Campbell’s first high-profile coaching stint, but he is unsure of what his future, both short-term and long-term will be.

“It’s all up in the air,” he noted. “I think I enjoyed the win (against the United States). I want to keep on coaching. I want to be in the football environment. So I’ll keep on plugging away.”

Campbell, who starred with Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth in the English Premier League, was born to Jamaican parents. But this was his first time in Trinidad.

“I haven’t been to Tobago,” he admitted. “I’ll (like to go) there and check it out. I’ve only been to Maracas beach.

At the same time, I’ve been working with the team so I haven’t had too much time off. It’s been all about getting the team right and helping out and supporting Dennis.”

Will he also want to help Caribbean football, as well as footballers get contracts in the United Kingdom?

Campbell replied, “We have to get this right first, get the Caribbean right first, get the team right and I think everything will look after itself.

As long as we can do everything properly and professionally, from top to toe, the results will shine. It’s now about how (TT) improve and keep on striving for the future, and doing the right things.”

Finally, how he foresees Arsenal’s fortunes in the 2016-2017 Premier League season?

The muscular Campbell responded, “It’s early days. We’ve got to keep on going. You never know what’s going to happen.

Hopefully we can get one or two players around January time. It’s going to be interesting. It’s a strong league. Manchester United, (Manchester) City, Chelsea, they’re really (doing) well. I think Arsenal’s got a chance but we’ve got to keep on going.”