Interesting article in Sunday Times about the Sol Campbell debacle

[Fan of Big Tone]

Sven, me and Notts County’s con artists

Call from ex-England manager promised the world but all I saw was a broken window

HE WAS 34 years old, without a club and worrying that his playing days were over. His mobile phone rang. He didn’t immediately recognise the voice at the other end.
“Hello?†The caller was his former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who had become director of football at lowly Notts County. There were reports a “shedload†of money would be poured into “The Project†at the fourth-tier club.
Eriksson told Campbell he was needed. The patter was perfectly pitched. “Sol, I want you to join us. There is money to help build the oldest club in the Football League to be the best. You would lead the line in helping to achieve our dreams. This is a fantastic opportunity.†Words to that effect.

Campbell liked and trusted Eriksson, having enjoyed playing under the Swede for England. Yes, this could be good, he thought. “I’ll call you in a week,†Eriksson said, “and see how you feel.†He called again, repeating what he had said; nothing too pushy, just carefully chosen words. Before Campbell could even ask a question Eriksson ended the call, saying he would call the following week.

He does, again on the same day, the same hour. This time Campbell is told the two men behind the club who sorted Eriksson’s deal will drive to London for a meeting. “They are very good and will be very helpful in explaining what is planned,†Eriksson says. “It will be our greatest achievement and we will do it together, Sol.†His pitch is near-perfect.

CAMPBELL arranges to meet the two men from Notts County at his local Italian, La Delizia, in Chelsea. First Nathan Willett and then Russell King shook his hand. King had a walking stick and something of a squint; the type that makes you wonder which of the two eyes is the one looking at you. He leads the conversation and quickly shows he can multitask; ordering some drink while telling Campbell their dream of making the oldest club in the league the new powerhouse of football. How they bought the club from the supporters’ trust and intended to invest a fortune.
Willett and King talked of seeing Campbell not just as a player; they saw him as someone who could one day run Notts County, be the manager, do whatever he liked. “Play for two years and in this time we can apply for your coaching badges. Then it will be for you to build the team. Don’t forget, we have the money. Not just millions but billions!â€

Within 10 days Campbell had driven to Nottingham to meet Eriksson face to face. When he walked into the stadium he was struck by the quality of the pitch and stands. The dressing rooms, though, needed work, and a lot of it. No matter, with all the money it would be done, probably within weeks of signing.

He stayed at Hart’s Hotel in the city. Eriksson, Willett and King, with for the first time Peter Trembling, the club’s chairman, were waiting for him next door in the restaurant.

They all spoke the same language of optimism: Trembling, the quietest of the quartet; Eriksson popping up with the occasional thought, mainly about football and the players the club were interested in, such as Benjani and Roberto Carlos, who had been mentioned earlier that day in all the papers.

“Promotion and the Premiership!†one of them toasted optimistically and they clinked glasses.

Campbell noticed Eriksson was a believer and part of the team. He raised his glass the highest.
The centre-half was going to sign. He had been seduced. The financial deal was agreed; a very good deal, a five-year contract. A bigger payday than Arsenal, more money than he had ever been paid before. Sign here! Mr Campbell, the future is bright. He signed.

“SO I got there and thought, OK, right. Where’s the money? It didn’t seem anything was going on. All was quiet, nothing moving forward.†Within days, while still excited, he started to feel uneasy. The big-name signings were not spoken of again. His suggestions had been ignored.

On his first visit to the ground Campbell had noticed a broken window. A small matter, you would think, but something that could become more irritating the longer it went unrepaired. When he first saw it he looked round from left to right, from right to left, as if he were the guilty party. It was on the stairway, so it was difficult to miss. At the end of his first week it was still cracked. The rain was coming down on this particular day and he could see the splashes falling through the crack on to the stairwell.

Strange, Campbell thought. They’ll spend money on a hospitality room to entertain their guests but they won’t fix a broken window . . .

This feeling of unease was not helped by a visit to London, where he ran into two friends who advised him to be careful. “I’ve looked into them, they aren’t honest,†one said. Campbell was slowly waking up from his dream. “It was dawning on me that I was being a mug,†he says.

His first game for Notts County is at Morecambe in September 2009. They lose 2-1. As Sol is having a shower after the game he goes into full panic mode. What am I doing here? I still haven’t been paid and I’m not sure I ever will be.

He was convinced he had been conned. He called Eriksson early that evening. “What’s going on? Nothing is happening!â€

The director of football was still toeing the company line. “Give it time. Everything will be OK. I’m making headway with a few players . . .â€

Campbell decided to give the owners one more opportunity to prove their intentions. At the training ground a few days later he went straight to King and Willett’s office.

It was small and messy. Half-opened files and books were piled in no particular order. Each man was on the phone, leaning back in his chair. One was moaning with more spirit than usual while the other voice was cursing. They finished their calls simultaneously.

Campbell wanted to hear from King and Willett that everything was about to change and that new players were joining at the end of the week. But, after a mere five minutes, he realised the truth: there was nothing. He warned them before he signed that if money wasn’t forthcoming he wanted to be allowed to walk.

“Tell me . . .†he pleaded, “tell me everything is going to be all right.†Again, there was nothing. The time of having that reverential look on their faces was in the past. “I always remember their empty eyes,†Campbell says. The relationship was over. They all knew. What was the point of prolonging the pain? They hadn’t fulfilled their promises and Campbell now knew they couldn’t.

Strange, once you recognise a con, everything seems so obvious. The hesitation in the voice, the softer tone, the way they want to make you feel special, the way they communicated. The ever-so-slight touch of the elbow in greeting, giving you that sense of reassurance. The wide-awake smiles and further hand movements, aimed at befriending you.

He left the office without a farewell handshake. What was the point? He was still in his tracksuit. His immediate thought was: “Shall I have a shower or shall I go straight back to the hotel and do it there?†He chose the hotel.

He needed to be out of Notts County, out of Nottingham.

When he walks down the stairwell he feels a breath of wind touch his face.
He stops and looks up. He sees flecks of light squeezing through a dull autumn sky. It’s the cracked window. It had still not been fixed. As he leaves the ground he passes what appears to be an odd-job man. “Fix the f****** window, will you?†The man looks startled.

“It’s on the landing of the first stairway.â€

Eriksson never picked up the phone or wrote to apologise to Campbell, to say that he just may have made a mistake.
 

 

[Chris]

He stayed at Hart’s Hotel in the city. Eriksson, Willett and King, with for the first time Peter Trembling, the club’s chairman, were waiting for him next door in the restaurant.

The article doesn't mention the negotiations took part in the restaurants upstairs function room, this is where I was down to work and I had to sort some of the bar things for a function/wedding which was taking place (so I over heard a lot of what was said). I had to be very careful as the agreement struck meant the room had to be private, yet the bar was a room type but opened front (with shutters down the front).

I spoke to him several times, Sol actually asked me things about Notts and he even insulted me haha! (compliment to some, it depends how you see it).

With regards to the point of the article, why should Sven apologize? He was suckered into this by others and for me he doesn't have to say sorry to Sol. I hope his book flops he released/releasing.

[Canadian]

Wow

[liampie]

i find this really hard to follow and understand, is it just me?

is this regarding sol campbell?
 

He left the office without a farewell handshake. What was the point? He was still in his tracksuit. His immediate thought was: “Shall I have a shower or shall I go straight back to the hotel and do it there?†He chose the hotel.

He needed to be out of Notts County, out of Nottingham.

When he walks down the stairwell he feels a breath of wind touch his face.
He stops and looks up. He sees flecks of light squeezing through a dull autumn sky. It’s the cracked window. It had still not been fixed. As he leaves the ground he passes what appears to be an odd-job man. “Fix the f****** window, will you?†The man looks startled.

“It’s on the landing of the first stairway.â€

who does he think he is? whoever sworn at the staff member, very ignorant.

what do you think @tonyhateley dont leave us hanging!!

[Feral Fox]

Sol coming was massive. The photos, the rumours, name in lights.

Sol leaving was massive. The ship was never sailing. It always had a bloody great whole in it. Mainly covered by JAH dreadful bloody jumpers!

 

Don't like the man and honestly can say I hope his book never sells a copy. 

[Chris]

Sol coming was massive. The photos, the rumours, name in lights.

Sol leaving was massive. The ship was never sailing. It always had a bloody great whole in it. Mainly covered by JAH dreadful bloody jumpers!

 

Don't like the man and honestly can say I hope his book never sells a copy. 

He's not a very nice person either, I mean he was kind and polite to me but others, he could be extremely rude. A polish waitress slightly spilt his 'water', his comments were extremely rude. Much like the part @liampie quoted and I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't him who made the comments.

Russell King was a flash swine, no class at all. Peter Trembling wanted to give you a good impression but in person he seemed extremely fake!

Sven extremely kind and gentle, he often eat at Harts on the weekends (especially after games) and he would always do a lot of charity work. He often made functions as a special guest etc, he even once placed a charity bid for a bottle of win which cost about £70. He played a lot for it! Very kind person and he's one of those who you see a different side to what the media suggest.

[upthepies]

I swear I have read something similar, one not so winded but I have heard about him having an attitude towards Notts staff.

He broke what was going on, had he stayed we could have been in big BIG trouble.

[Fan of Big Tone]

It's interesting to hear @notts-joe's account of the meeting at Harts, interesting stuff.

I don't know about Sol being rude that isn't necessary no matter how famous or rich you are, good manners cost nothing.

However I can't understand Notts supporters who are still antagonistic towards him, I admire him for being able to spot the scam when the rest of us (including Sven) were completely taken in.

[Chris]

It's interesting to hear @notts-joe's account of the meeting at Harts, interesting stuff.

I don't know about Sol being rude that isn't necessary no matter how famous or rich you are, good manners cost nothing.

However I can't understand Notts supporters who are still antagonistic towards him, I admire him for being able to spot the scam when the rest of us (including Sven) were completely taken in.

To be fair it was unraveling, he just spoke up and whereas I think it was good that he did. He joined us when he knew he wasn't fit, his legs had gone and a scammer will often notice scams. Having heard quite a lot of his demands, it's quite simple to see he didn't believe it after awhile. I started with a lack of star signings, he wanted silly names to join him alongside others.

[JC99]

Very good player in his day, he could lead and score. Exactly the defender any top clubs needs but awful after he hit the deadwood age.

Did he release a book?