Massive Portsmouth figure fires broadside as former Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United star turns back on management 

Sol Campbell has given up on trying to make it as a football manager.

And Pompey’s FA Cup-winning captain admitted he’ll have to look at making it in the game in different ways, if he’s to have a future in the sport.

Campbell’s had spells in charge at Southend and Macclesfield between 2018 and 2020, with both clubs in difficult situations off the pitch.

The former Spurs, Arsenal and Newcastle man has not returned to the dugout since and feels he’s not been afforded the opportunities some others of his standing have.

Now Campbell is looking to go down another avenue, with coaching and technical director roles possible routes to explore.

He told the PA news agency at Web Summit in Lisbon: ‘For me, it is about getting opportunities to fail.

‘Some of my peers have had jobs and it's not worked out and then they have had opportunities again straight away, they've always had a lifeline.

‘That is a nice position to be in. I am not in that position, I would love to be, but those situations are not coming to me. I would love to be involved in football and have chances, but that is not happening.

‘You have to look at football in a different way and that is what I am going to start doing and hopefully it will work out and I will be able to help players, just in a different way.

‘I love coaching, so I am going to go back into football in a meaningful way. I have had to go away, studied at Harvard. I want to be in football in a meaningful way. It won’t be on the sideline.

‘I am not applying any more for jobs. I’m happy to be in a different space now and one I want to be in.’

Campbell believes diversity is still an issue in football management and coaching, with Burnley’s Vincent Kompany the only black top-flight manager. 

He added: ‘Football needs that diversity in terms of management, but for me it seems to have gone backwards in some cases.

‘We need to understand not everyone is going to make it to be an amazing manager, but you have to get the opportunity or a chance to prove yourself right or even show you can do the job.

‘Sometimes you get to the stage where you can’t fail. Sometimes you have to fail to suceed, but if you don’t get that opportunity how can you succeed.

“There are a few managers who are slowly having diversity in the backroom staff, that can help.

Some of the top managers know if they could diversify their coaching staff it would help. That is a start.

‘They are the ones in a strong position, where they have won things and are at great clubs.

‘I think that is how people should start thinking, that is an easy way to kind of get experience and get through the door. Some of the top, top managers have to look at their coaching staff and mix it up a little bit.'

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