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11 hours ago
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“They’ve got a wonderful group of players and a great manager in Mikel Arteta but having come so close three times on the bounce I felt these guys needed it,” Sol Campbell says of Arsenal winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years since, in 2004, he was the cornerstone of their defence for the Invincibles. His team remained unbeaten throughout that historic league season, but the pressure on his successors has been immense.
“The wait has been so heavy and it was all pent up, building year after year, always coming so close but never getting over the line,” he says. “That’s why you saw such an outpouring of joy and togetherness. It’s been incredible because we’ve been waiting such a long time.”
Arsenal will now try to win the Champions League for the first time when they face the glittering might of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday in Budapest. The last time they came this close was 20 years ago this month when, after being reduced to 10 men by the early dismissal of their goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, Campbell scored the opening goal against Barcelona. Arsenal held their lead until the 76th minute and Samuel Eto’o’s equaliser was followed soon after by the Barcelona winner.
But, first, Campbell pauses to consider the calamity that might have ensued had Arsenal not won the league. “They had a fantastic transfer window [last summer] and bought some really top players. But if they hadn’t won the league then those vultures from other big clubs would have been circling and looking to pick off some of our best players.
“This could have been a really difficult summer for Arsenal. Players go off to the World Cup and they can get itchy feet while they’re away. They’re looking at other players who won things and they’ve got [international] teammates saying: ‘Our club are looking at you.’
“I’ve seen some of the biggest deals happen at the World Cup when you’re away with players from other clubs for six weeks. That could have been a big problem for Arsenal – but not now. Everyone’s solid, everyone’s stable, everyone’s happy.”
How can Arsenal, even with their resolute defence and set-piece prowess, contain and then overcome the shimmering menace of PSG’s attackers? “There’re going to be times when you have to do one-on-ones,” Campbell says. “You can’t double up. You start doubling up on PSG and one or two of their players become a bit free, that creates a problem. You need some really good guys who can survive a one-on-one attack. If you keep on doubling up that creates space for PSG to attack and that’s what they want.”
Campbell leans forward to convey an even simpler message to Arsenal’s players. “You need to strike while the iron’s hot. You don’t know when you’re going to have that same beautiful run to the final. We’ve got an incredible defence, they’ve got incredible forwards, but after winning the league there is slightly less pressure on Arsenal. It’s still not going to be easy.”
What does his gut tell him when he considers the most likely outcome? “It would be incredible if we can get a 3-2 win,” he says, which is a slightly surprising scoreline from a once magnificent defender. “But we’ve got to find a way to quieten down their front line. They are very good when they find space.”
Campbell reiterates that PSG are capable of great discipline and teamwork. “They lost their concentration against Bayern when they were 5-2 up [in the first leg of an unforgettable semi-final]. But when they went to Munich, and played defensively, that showed me they are a complete team. PSG are favourites, but sometimes you just need a little luck.
“When I played against Barcelona we had our chances to take the game away from them, even with 10 men. We just needed one more goal and that would have killed them off.”
If Arsenal defy expectations and add the Champions League trophy they will seal the most successful season in the club’s history. But when I ask Campbell to pick a combined fantasy team from his Invincibles and the current squad he can find room for only two contemporary players. He chooses Jurriën Timber ahead of Lauren at right-back and William Saliba replaces Kolo Touré alongside Campbell in central defence. He opts for Lehmann instead of David Raya in goal, and Freddie Ljungberg ahead of Bukayo Saka.
When I press him on Declan Rice, who can’t replace Gilberto Silva alongside Patrick Vieira in central midfield, Campbell smiles: “Declan could squeeze in if it’s a different formation.”
I remind the 51-year-old that 2006 was the year he dragged himself out of a personal crisis. At his lowest point, that February, he refused to go out for the second half against West Ham at Highbury because he felt close to a psychological collapse. Campbell retreated to Belgium to try to piece himself back together.
“People forget that,” Campbell says. “They don’t realise how difficult that period was for me. I had injuries and I was struggling with losing my place for England and at Arsenal. So to turn it around and play in an unbelievable final showed my character. There was such pressure to recalibrate myself, but I played the semi-final and did incredibly well. Sometimes I don’t get credit for what I went through to play a final at the pinnacle of European football.”
Campbell describes his goal in the final as one of the sweetest moments of his career. “For sure, because with England I got two legitimate goals taken away from me at the [1998] World Cup and then at the [2004] Euros. If we’d had VAR back then the referee would have found it really hard to wriggle out of it, especially against Argentina.
“It was ridiculous. Same for the next one against Portugal. Come on. They’ve taken two goals away from me. One would have put us into the semi-finals of the Euros and the other could have put us into a World Cup quarter-final.”
So it’s safe to assume that Campbell is a fan of video assistant referees? “Yes,” he says with a smile. “VAR for around the box is great. If you have to go to two or three spaces back then I don’t think so. It should just be used for both boxes.”
A defining image of the domestic season was the agonising wait for VAR to decide whether Arsenal had conceded an injury-time equaliser against West Ham in their third-last match. The decision went their way, but what does Campbell, who was such a physically commanding presence, think of all the grappling that is now allowed at most corners?
“We had blocking in my time, but if it was too blatant then it would be [penalised]. As long you’re not touching the keeper, it’s OK. But the trouble is there’s too much going on. In the West Ham game the ref went back to the foul on the goalkeeper. But in that whole sequence you could have had a couple of penalties and a couple of free-kicks either way.”
That result had seismic consequences for West Ham and Spurs, their relegation rivals. Campbell has been vilified by Spurs fans for years because, after he had been one of their most inspirational players for so long, he left them for Arsenal, in 2001. How did he feel while watching Spurs come so close to being relegated?
“I started [in youth football] at West Ham. So they’re both proper London clubs and it’s not nice whenever any of them go down. It would have hurt Tottenham even more as they’re a huge club with a huge stadium. The Premier League is a better proposition for people around the world watching Tottenham in there. But they have now had two [relegation-haunted seasons] on the run. They have to realise they were extremely lucky. If West Ham had got a result at Newcastle and a draw at home against Arsenal it would have been touch and go.”
Campbell played six major tournaments in a row for England – including the World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006. He was at his peak in 2002 when he made Fifa’s team of the tournament. What are his perceptions of Thomas Tuchel? “He’s made some interesting cuts to the final squad. That’s what England wanted – a manager ready to wield the axe. Whether you agree with the axings is different.
“I feel you’ve got to have someone a little bit outside the box. If you can handle one or two mavericks, I like that. I grew up with that – look at how Terry Venables could handle Paul Gascoigne and get the best out of him. I always like a mix. I like good solid players, but I like mavericks, match-winners who can come on for 10 minutes and do it. We need to remember that this is a cup competition.” How will England do this summer? “I think we’ll hit the semi-finals.”
Campbell is committed to his intriguing new Legends Corner documentary series, which began with him interviewing Spike Lee in front of the Brooklyn Invincibles, Arsenal’s New York fanclub, as they all watched the north London derby in February. It is a striking choice of a launch because, as Campbell says: “I love football, but I also love architecture. I love film. I love music. I want to give the audience a different take on things.
“But I also want to go in-depth with people I’ve played against or followed from afar. It’s more location-based so it gives colour and depth. I’ve done a really in-depth one with Andy Cole about all he has gone through and that will be seen next. The budget’s a little bit bigger so I’ve interviewed Dwight Yorke at his home in Tobago and the next one I’m doing is with Christian Vieri in Italy. But he’s also an Aussie and loves cricket.”
Campbell identifies three dream targets for “honest conversations about rivalry and pressure” in his Legends Corner. “I want to go to Argentina to interview [Gabriel] Batistuta. There’s lots I want to talk about – starting with the 1998 World Cup when there was a political thing going on. I want to find out why they were jumping around so much on the coach after they beat us. [He laughs.] I know you’re happy that you beat us, but why did you do that? What about my goal which got disallowed? What does he think of that?
“I also want to talk to Luís Figo. I played against him and Portugal and I’d like to give that international flavour. Also, Figo went from Barcelona to [Real] Madrid and I’ve gone from Tottenham to Arsenal. So, hey, we’re kinda the same. And I’d love to sit down next season with Dennis Bergkamp.
“Those three guys are on my list and then I want to do an African tour with some players. I want to create a community that gives a different flavour to football, and a different voice. I’m now putting all my energies into things that I like.”
