'Big' Sol Campbell.
The sensitive soul pulled no punches in his criticism, calling those people who targetted him ‘idiots’ and ‘pathetic’. Quite right too, as most people will understand that Sol Campbell is a few weeks behind everyone else in the race for fitness, aside from a few it seems. But lets not forget the double standards with which the media are reporting this story with.
Yesterday, The Mirror branded Campbell ‘Blobby’ in a headline whilst The Sunday Express once again lay into fans by proclaiming that we are ‘getting on his back before he has even kicked a ball for us’. The second one has a small amount of truth in it, but I assume it is fine for The Mirror to lambast us whilst labelling Sol ‘Blobby’? Once again, the press have decided to take a pop at the fans using any old excuse. Sol Campbell is a wise head and can look after himself without the need for press interferance, as is highlighted below.
“It’s pathetic,” Sol said. “I had been training for three days – just three days! I am three weeks behind everyone else in pre-season. Don’t they know I have just got married and been on honeymoon?”
“I accept that the picture wasn’t flattering, and I do need to catch up on my level of fitness, but the training kit was not very flattering, and showed up all sorts of things. The truth is that I am now in better shape than when I started off back at Arsenal after a long lay-off. I got myself back into shape at Arsenal, and I think I had a reasonably good end-half of the season.”
Ahh, so it was the training kit then! In fairness though, Sol is right. A lot of people have jumped on the bandwagon for this one as it was easy to do so. He should be judged after a numbr of games for us, but at the end of the day the fans have an opinion, they have a right to it, so why should they be criticised for airing them? Anyway, Campbell continued:
“I am a naturally big guy, but I cannot rush my conditioning, otherwise trying too much too quickly could result in injuries,” he said. “Of course I can understand the manager wants me to be in the side, but the season starts in just two weeks and I really need three to four weeks to get back to peak fitness.”
Injuries are something we can ill afford right now at Newcastle, and Hughton will have to make sure he gets the balance right between breaking Sol into the action whilst making sure he isn’t pushed too hard too fast. At the end of the day, Campbell isn’t as young as he once was, and most of us know what it feels like to be getting older. Things take longer to heal, hangovers take longer to go, I even pissed myself this morning, joking with that one of course, but on the plus side, with age comes experience.
“I’ve seen it all before, done it all before, heard it all before, but that means I also know exactly what to do,” Sol said. It’s a long season and I cannot listen to idiots. I know these things cannot be rushed. What I do know is that I will achieve peak fitness given the time I need to do it. It might be that I will need to play and then put in extra training in between games.”
“My message is simple to all the knockers: I am knuckling down and want to play my football with a great club and a great manager. Then you can judge me.”
Fair enough, and most people will give him that time. In fact I have been surprised how well Sol has been recieved on Tyneside as he is generally viewed as an excellent acquistion.
Well done Sol, get fat fit I mean!
NUFCBlog Author: toonsy
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I think it’s a real shame...
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..Why not get a 
I’m sure it was just a bad pic. Maybe he does need to loose a bit, but no way could he really be the size he looks in that picture.
Still thik he is going to end up being a great player for us this season and hopefully guide the young lads on and maybe some coaching next season
Also off the subject, no promised screen/scoreboard there on Saturday. I no it’s tot important really, but looks like another false promise.
Simon – I think a lot of it is relative. I mean if compared to most of us he would look fit as a fiddle but when compared to others he could look a little, well…. fat.
I’m certain he will be in shape for the new season. As he said, he has been in worse shape before and made it back to fitness, and that was only a year ago, lees in fact.
About the TV, I don’t really want one to be fair. I’ve never liked them, but I understand it is a neccesity for a World Cup ground. If we want that at Newcastle, we need a big screen. Brighthouse sale starts next week so we might see one then
This is form of bullyin…….
anyone who’s an athlete,who has a couple of month off from training goes fat ffs.he probably was fat in the photo,but when you train like these blokes do,it doesn’t take much to get it off.it could also be the new kits ashley’s punting this season,everyone that wears them,look like a sack of tetties with them on.
Yeah Toonsy, compared to me, he looks silf like. Still, I’m sure after a couple of weeks, he’ll be fir and ready to go.
I agree with you about the screen, but think it would be nice to have a score board again. Doesn’t have to be like the old one from years ago, just big enough for the time and the score to be on there. But no doubt it will be a trip to Brighthouse for Ashley
Toonsy did you sort your wolves ticket out?
“Of course I can understand the manager wants me to be in the side, but the season starts in just two weeks and I really need three to four weeks to get back to peak fitness.”
Well sorry Sol, but unless something miraculous happens, we’ll probably need you at Manure given our current injuries, so get on the treadmill.
Jay Jay – I did mate. All booked.
sol campbell is not overweight,he’s just f**king fat lol.
Trojan is right about the training. The way these boys train any shred of weight will be gone within a week or two anyway.
some of the headlines in todays chronicle=
“LEON BEST HUNGRY FOR MORE GOALS”
“HUGHTON HAPPY WITH RYAN TAYLOR”
that’s it,we must be in the twilight zone,doo,doo,doo,doo,doo,doo.
I would just say he may be carrying some weight but the design of that training top is downright crap totally unflattering and I have said the same thing some days ago before Sol had signed for us. I mentioned it after seeing a picture of young Shane Ferguson in the same one, although his build is downright skinny, even he looked like he had a pot belly in it.
Our fans should be getting onto Puma for their rotten designer who came up with this atrocity.
Give Sol a chance and get off his case, after all he is our player and will be turning out for us.
Get some big TV’s up in the ground, it’s the 21st century don’t y’know?
Howay, what’s the wait?
If anyone still has an old CRT monitor, get it donated.
They can glue a whole bunch together at either end of the pitch. Sorted!
when they took steven taylor off against carlisle,he even looked fat in the white away kit.
why were the similar design kits in the world cup looked to be a slim fit,ours look like a sack tied in the middle.
Bought an annorak yet toonsy?
Trojan (16) agreed, I thought the same myself and I know Tayls had been working throughout the summer to ensure he came back fit.
I am totally unimpressed with this Puma gear – and what is with the neckline on the shirts?
Touchy, touchy, Sol….
Trojan-I thought the same thing mate. Our blue away kit is just the Italy kit with different badges.
I thought Puma were all about their slim fit retro style kits, instead we get something thoroughly plain that fits like a tent, lol.
Hey gang, what time is the deportivo game tomorrow?
look at hatton he blew up like fook between fights,and i doubt sols life style is like rickys,plus the training top he had on made him look chunky..
Mags-I never wanted to leave Adidas, but was quite pleased when Puma were announced, thinking “that’s not the end of the world”. Then I saw the new spurs kit and thought it looked canny nice, promising. Then i started to see the others with necks that look like a 6 year old bairn has went at them with safety scissors and it was all downhill from there.
Wait ’til y’see the monstrosities other teams are wearing next season.
Ross (23) Yes ha ha ha – looks like a demented seamstress has been let loose. Plus it is so girly. BRING BACK ADIDAS.
hitman-you see the hitman renewed his boxing licence not long ago. Dont think stepping back into the ring will do him any good. Great back in the day but I think its time to hang them up now like. There was talk of a Khan fight and I think he’d get destroyed.
FSOTC 8pm tomorrow mate.
Mags-Remember when you used to fold up paper, cut triangles out, open them up and you’d have a snowflake or something stupid like that. Looks like one of those gone wrong, haha.
Thanks, Jay-jay.
aye ross hes past it now like.
Ok,i finally decide to join in the fun,and play the fantasy league.
Well,let’s hope David Silva scores alot. ^_^
aye,ricky would only be good for a pie eating contest now.
TROJAN 69 says:
August 2, 2010 at 12:50 pm
sol campbell is not overweight,he’s just f**king fat lol.
Trojan, what a bl***y stupid thing to say! Do wou want to give the media even more c**p to work with? Do you want to get his back up before he’s even kicked a ball for us?
Grow up.
Good for Sol. I like a player with a bit of fire in the belly who isn’t going to take any crap.
Mags09 says:
August 2, 2010 at 1:00 pm
“but the design of that training top is downright crap totally unflattering”
NUFC Blog has found it’s own Gok Wan.
Is Gok Wan an anagram?
Yep fans on a players back before the season starts.
When will people learn other fans and the press laugh at us beacuse of this whingeing.
Campbell is a great signing get behind the team and lets try and get some atmosphere back in the ground supporting the team. We all know this has been lacking for a few years now and as far as atmosphere goes we are living on past glories !
I remember the last time we came up and it was us who took the premier league by storm never mind the team, do we think that will happen this time, everyone in black and white and the noise– even beardsley passed to us !
I fear this year we will be seen as ordinary fans
“Mags09 says:
August 2, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Trojan (16) agreed, I thought the same myself and I know Tayls had been working throughout the summer to ensure he came back fit.
I am totally unimpressed with this Puma gear – and what is with the neckline on the shirts?”
Trust a woman…
Naughty CLiNT @36!
Bollocks, fail@38.
I quoted the wrong one. I was on about Mags and the fashion quips.
Joey Barton should be a fitness coach in the future, one thing I have always admired him about, the way he keeps himself in shape even with his long term injuries. S.Taylor indeed looked like he had a little belly, might be because of the good times in hospital.
Hey Lesh,
maybe we can make europe through the back door, in the fashion league?
Or at least our fans appreciation of fashion?
Has everyone forgotten what they thought of adidas’s yellow kit last season, or was that just yet another case of being lead by the nose ring by the media?
TOONSY hows things go for today m8?
Has Ben Arfa signed yet?
Rangerman says:
August 2, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Has Ben Arfa signed yet?
Ha! Good un’.
my gut feeling is there will be 2 more in,a loan player and whittingham,mind my guts often play up
Tut tut CLiNT @42.
“maybe we can make europe through the back door, in the fashion league”.
CLiNT, It’s just as well you qualified your possibel double entendre by referring to the fashion league!
Maybe some of the posters on this site should subscribe to Gok Wan’s (anag) site as they seem more concerned about the players’ apparel than the quality of football on offer?
We’ve some real whingers among us and it is they that provide the press with the ammunition to continue sniping!!!!
To them I say grow up!
re-arrange the words “shithouse like built a brick”
skinny bastard
lesh,you really need to lighten up,if you’d bothered to read my earlier comment,then you’ll realise sols weight is not an issue for me.i was merely responding to toonsy’s light heated jibe,why the f**k should you be bothered what other fans think of us?what do you think it’s some kind of big brother reality popularity contest ffs?.
sol’s that fat and out of condition milk would turn quicker.
Just to let you all know,looks like there WILL be Stream Links for tmr match.
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=82873&part=sports
69 @ 49 ignore 33 – he’s full of crap.
sol campbell’s problem is not with his belly,the problem is with his feet,
he can’t keep them away from the fridge.
AOd- Cheers!!!
Watch it Worky!!!!! Ha ha ha. I thought I was bringing a little bit of culture to the proceedings. I am now going to gracefully retire for the afternoon.
mags,the only thing we’re bringing to the blog is change the l for an n in culture lol.
i’ve got respect for sol as a player,but the one thing about him,he’s always been a cry bairn.
when the spurs fans were giving him stick for joining the gunners,he had to start crying about that also.
sol..
sausage & mash , you & me’s & plenty royal navy.
@ £2.49
roys rolls.
Poor old Kenny Burns…totally obselete since the early 80s, No one will trust the opinion of a pathetic dried up old has been over Wenger, Hughton, Bruce and Lennon im afraid…
Hopefully we can nail Cleverly this week looks like the perfect competiton for our wingers and also despite moaning about our interest in Welbeck in the past i was surprised to see how quick this guy is and he seems to have a decent understanding with Cleverly maybe he would be worth chasing as he can play wide and up top.
Anyone seen the smith to leeds rumours he has been a good player but this wud b good move for us it would allow us to bringin ohara or annan to replace him
is there any truth in the cleverley rumour,i’m just sick of being linked with the lad.
smith to leeds?would save 60 grand a week,wouldn’t let him gan though withoot signing someone first.
Aye Trojan,
someone in his place first(Smith), if he’s to go.
BTW,
was it the fans Campbell was having a go at, or the pressmongers?
deal with it sol ya fat f u c k e r
Trojan, there’s no way smith going back to Leeds yet, they could never afford his wages though I can see it in a couple of years or so. It would be him I’d look to shift though if we had to.
Sold not fat he’s just big boned!!
The two things that bother me about this story are, 1/ The reporters are struggling when they are looking for info on these blogs
2/ Why has Campbell took the bait ( if you pardon the pun)and reacted to this parcel of shite of an article.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6291778,00.html
Here’s a good one, i had to laugh………
http://www.tribalfootball.com/taylor-again-limbo-newcastle-1017111?
Go out on loan to prove his fitness?
He’s got a dislocated shoulder you divvy gets.
They should go back to school to prove their fitness to write.
bigbadbob,campbell’s always been a touchy f***er,he should have just made a joke out of it,but now he’s giving people future ammo,to use against him.
what’s happened to football?anyone remember gazza and the mars bars?we should turn up at st james’ this season and wave chinese takeaway menus at sol lol.
Soeaking of Chinese, you wouldn’t want to be running one of them all you can eat things with Nolan and Campbell around.
Soon be out of business
CLiNT – I read the link and got to Tribal and knew it was shite contained within
Icedog – Everything went well. Happy as a pig in shit mate
toonsy,
is that not the daftest crap you’ve read in ages?
Pure fantasy!
Hilarious!
It was that t##t at newcastleuntited-mad who started all this. maybe Campbell is just grumpy coz of his new nagging wife. I would have just laughed it off personally but Sol has always been a bit sensitive I suppose.
DJG,
they’ve obviously got too much time on their hands at numad.
They should find something about the kit to moan about.
Oh! They’ve done that already.