Hughton may hand Campbell debut
Newcastle United manager Chris Hughton has hinted that he may hand defender Sol Campbell his debut in the club's Premier League fixture with Blackpool.
Campbell signed for Newcastle earlier in the summer after becoming a free agent once his contract at Arsenal was not renewed. The experienced defender has been working hard on his physical fitness and is yet to play a part in Newcastle's season.
Hughton says he is well aware that Campbell has been working hard in training. However, Newcastle has been very successful over the last two games and there is little point in changing the team for any reason other than injury.
Campbell has many skills and a lot of experience that will ensure he is ready to play for the club when the manager needs him. Campbell has to be very patient and wait for his opportunity to play if he does not feature against Blackpool.
Reasons to pick him
Campbell has experienced many ups and downs in his professional career. He will have experienced spells where he has been out of the side at his previous clubs. He will know what the manager is looking for if he does want to try and win a place in the side.
Campbell does not have the pace that he once had. However, he has compensated for this with tactical positioning. This gives him the best chance to get tackles in on quick forwards and the chance to always put himself between the ball and the goal.
He is the sort of player that always seems to hit the ground running when needed. Arsene Wenger re-signed Campbell for Arsenal in 2010 to plug a gap in the Arsenal defence. It did not look as though he had ever been away from the club.
Hughton said: "He is certainly available to play. He has played in two reserve games, admittedly not for 90 minutes, but he is fit and available. Sometimes you don't know if someone is ready until they are given the opportunity."
Patience is the key
Patience is the key because this may well be the last big club that Campbell plays for in his career. This means he cannot risk alienating the staff and the manager. If he does then it could be very difficult for him to find a club with the same ambition and stature as Newcastle.
There is very little reason why Hughton should change the team because Newcastle has been relatively solid over the last two matches. This means Campbell will have to wait until a defender makes a bad error or there is an injury in the defence.
Hughton said: "Centre-back is a key position. We are very conscious of where Sol is at this moment, but the most important thing is that he is available. The important thing is that we now have a squad which is good enough and capable enough to get through a very demanding season."
Betting advice
Newcastle heads into the match against Blackpool as the clear favourite. Campbell is an ageing but very good defender who will only add to the club's chances of winning the game should he play.
The best option is to wait until the team line-up has been announced. If Campbell is the side then you could also have a punt on him scoring. If he's not then you'll quickly be able to work out another individual to back in the Newcastle team.
Newcastle has the home advantage for this game. The vocal home support should inspire the team and this should lead to a two or three goal win over Blackpool.
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