Sol Campbell appointed as Macclesfield manager on an 18-month deal
Tuesday 27 November 2018 23:37, UK
Ray Parlour and Danny Murphy have backed their former team-mate Sol Campbell's appointment as Macclesfield manager, with the team bottom of Sky Bet League Two.
The ex-defender was announced as Macclesfield's new boss on Tuesday, signing an 18-month contract, and his reign got off to a winning start as they beat Exeter 1-0 with Campbell watching from the stands.
Parlour played with Campbell for Arsenal and England, and says he will need a knowledgeable assistant manager to help guide him in a tough league.
"He will do it his way but big the question for Sol is can he get down to their level? He's gone to a level where he needs to know the league, where a No 2 could be vital for him," he told The Debate.
"He needs someone who knows the league, knows the players and knows how to get out of the league, maybe. A little bit of experience who has been there but maybe doesn't want to be a manager anymore - that will be key for Sol if he's going to be successful.
"One thing Sol has got to get across to the players is 'look, I'm at the bottom of the ladder at the moment but I want to get up the ladder.'
"I don't know what the Macclesfield team is, but he could say 'you can come along with me', because those guys will want to be playing in League One and Championship as well so they've got to help each other.
"What he has got to get across to the players is they are all on one side and all need to be moving in the right way. If he can do that, it might work."
Murphy - who spent time with Campbell on England duty - says a change at Macclesfield could work wonders for the club, who are currently four points from safety in League Two.
"He's got to try something different and he's got a strong belief in himself," Murphy said on The Debate. "I remember in England squads where I sat down and talked to him a few times, and he's a thoughtful guy. He's very into the tactical side, the mentality of players.
"Sometimes it takes something different for players to refocus or change their mentality and when you're at the bottom, Sol has probably looked at it as nothing to lose. If he turns it round, he looks like a miracle worker."
