Sol Campbell could be set for a remarkable u-turn after Notts County admitted that they will not stand in his way if he decides to leave the club.
Campbell has made just one appearance for the Magpies since joining on a free transfer at the end of August. After three weeks of working on his fitness, the former England international made his debut on Saturday, as his new team followed the football betting odds and went down 2-1 to Morecambe. However he now looks set to leave the club and according to reports has already said goodbye to his team-mates.
The news will come as another blow to County, who currently sit in eighth position in the League Two table after a run of three successive away defeats. They had hoped that Campbell would be at the club for the foreseeable future, having signed him on a five year contract worth around £40,000 a week. With former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson also at the club, the move seemed to be positive for all parties.
Indeed at the time, Campbell was full of Togel Online optimism. Upon his arrival at Meadow Lane he said: “This club has got great ambition and I want to be a part of it,
“Sven played a big role. He’s a great man. He’s managed all over the world and he knows his football, he’s a proper guy. “He has seen the future. It’s a challenge but I think everyone connected to the club are prepared for that challenge. It’s refreshing.”
Not everybody was convinced by Campbell’s reasoning though and his one time manager Arsene Wenger said: “Time will show if it is a good move for him,”
“Maybe it can be a good decision if he wants to build something on the longer term. On the short term, he will suffer a bit because he is used to top level football.
“When you move down, it is always difficult to cope mentally.”
Wenger’s caution now seems to have been justified and for the 35 year old Campbell, retirement may just be on the cards.
Kawasaki Frontale chase Champions League crown
Kawasaki Frontale were left kicking themselves after they went down 2-0 to Urawa Reds in front of a capacity crowd at Todoroki Stadium in the J. League last weekend.
That defeat was a further blow to the Kanagawa side’s chances of winning a first ever J. League title, but for now coach Takashi Sekizuka will turn his attentions to the Asian Champions League.
Kawasaki have reached the quarter-final stage for the second time in the revamped competition’s brief history, after Frontale were knocked out on penalties by Iranian side Sepahan in 2007.
This time they face a familiar opponent in the form of fellow Japanese side Nagoya Grampus, with Kawasaki desperate to reach a final played just a stone’s throw across the Tama River at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Kawasaki reached the final eight after finishing second behind K-League side Pohang Steelers in their group, before beating defending champions Gamba Osaka in a one-off Round of 16 clash.
Now the upwardly mobile outfit face another all-J. League test, and they’ll be particularly wary of former Frontale midfielder Magnum, who these days pulls the strings in the Nagoya midfield.
Nagoya topped their group at the expense of A-League side Newcastle Jets, before seeing off Korean giants Suwon Bluewings in an impressive Round of 16 victory.
Coach Dragan Stojkovic has failed to inspire his side to any great heights in the J. League this season, so the Champions League represents somewhat of a last chance for Nagoya to make a name for themselves.
Australian striker Josh Kennedy could prove a key figure for the Aichi-based side, with the 1.94m striker scoring four goals in eight league games since his switch from German football.
In other quarter-final fixtures, Qatari surprise package Umm-Salal take on FC Seoul, with the Korean side missing captain Kim Chi-Gon and midfielder Kim Han-Yoon through suspension.
Luiz Felipe Scolari will be desperate to steer Uzbek champions Bunyodkor past Pohang Steelers, while Uzbekistan’s other representatives Pakhtakor Tashkent take on two-times champions Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.
