FORMER ENGLAND MANAGER Sven-Goran Eriksson has denied Sol Campbell’s claim he would have been captain of the national side “for more than 10 years” had he been white.
Campbell, one of the leading black English footballers of his generation, made the controversial allegations in a new biography, extracts of which were serialised in Britain’s Sunday Times at the weekend.
The 39-year–old former Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal defender said: “I believe if I was white, I would have been England captain for more than 10 years — it’s as simple as that.
“I think the FA wished I was white. I had the credibility, performance-wise to be captain,” added Campbell, who led his country on three occasions.
“Not a chance — during my years, not a chance,” the Swede told Britain’s Daily Telegraph in an interview published today. ”As you know, from my first to my last game, I had David Beckham (as captain) and there were never, ever any discussions at all in the team or in the FA about the captain.”
‘Better candidates at the time’ -
Former England striker Ian Wright, like Campbell a prominent black English footballer, also contested his former international team-mate’s assertion, insisting there were better candidates to lead the national side at the time.
“I think he’s got the credentials to be captain, but to be captain for 10 years? I’m not sure when you see some of the players that were around then,” Arsenal great Wright, who played alongside Campbell for England in the late 1990s, told BBC Radio Five.
“I want a captain that goes in and gets you going. Sol has never had the demeanour where he is aggressive on the pitch and put people in their place.
“People say David Beckham wasn’t like that, but he only had to raise his eyebrows to put someone in their place. Maybe Sol could have grown into it but it’s down to the manager who he wants.
“Sol was more than good enough to be a captain but I personally believe there were better candidates at the time.”
John Barnes, the former England winger who as a black player in the late 1970s and early 1980s had bananas thrown at him by racist fans and was subjected to abusive taunts from the terraces, also thought Campbell was wide of the mark.
“I don’t think Sol would have been captain for 10 years because if you look at who the captains were — Tony Adams and then after that Alan Shearer,” Barnes said.
“Then David Beckham became captain and that was a PR exercise for the FA. I don’t think necessarily it was because of the colour of Sol’s skin.”
Sunday saw former FA executive director David Davies, at the organisation when Campbell was a player deny English football chiefs applied any kind of pressure on managers over the choice of national captain.
“I am surprised by this because the reality is that in my time the managers selected the captain,” Davies said.
“I never — and to my knowledge nobody else in the FA — ever sought to influence them.
“My belief is (the allegations) are wrong.”
So far the current FA hierarchy have made no public response to Campbell’s remarks and British media reports said it was understood they had no plans to comment.
If it weren’t for racism, Sol Campbell would have dominated the grand national, Wimbledon, the nba and the Nobel prizes for the same 10 years
According to Sol Campbell, everyone is a racist except Sol Campbell.
He is either one or both of vain and stupid to throw around that allegation. It is demeaning those who really suffer horribly from racism
Or trying to sell a book?
Watched his video on BBC sport came across as a right fool. Thought he should of been captain for 10 years? He couldn’t get his game for 10 years since 2001
Controversy sells books but he overstepped the mark … Captain for ten years not a chance Adams shearer beckham all better motivators ..silly statement on such a tender subject !!!
Hmmm Campbell received a lot of abuse during his career. A lot of it was pretty vile stuff.
Don’t think we should throw too many stones when the GAA is addressing the issue of racism in a completely cack handed manner. Rugby has a pretty shameful record of supporting supremacist Australia & South Africa but has been pretty good here especially with regard to sectarianism.
Generally we should get our own house in order before commenting on this issue elsewhere.
Nah I’d still rather comment on it..
Its a completely different thing to condemn others for racism than to condemn what is a fallacious claim of racism….
Robespierre nonsense – Campbell himself has put it out there publicly for discussion (and to sell his new book) that he believes he was racially treated with respect to the England captaincy.
I’ve lived in the UK for all of Campbell’s pro career. While I might concur if he had made a general claim to racist abuse as a player, the notion that he was denied the England captaincy because of the FA’s Racism is nonsense.
He was a good club player, a decent International but he was never in the top five players in the England squad and there were always better leadership candidates than Campbell. Sure even when Beckham had the captaincy you had Gerrard and latterly Terry who were by miles more credible captaincy candidates…
On the issue of captaincy – it does seem a little egotistical but…. With all that players of his skin colour endure relative to Caucasians you can understand how he or anyone else became suspicious.
Black managers are not nearly as represented as whites for expletive. There had never been a black England manager etc
Who would you have as a black England manager?
Tell us, what black managers are in the running for Hodgsons job.
Also, Paul Ince was England captain during Sol’s time.
Sol Campbell was captain of England a number of times. His point is that he should have remained in the job. Plus he has a book to sell.