Arsenal legend & former England International, Sol Campbell was in town recently to launch Arsenal Puma Kit for the new season 2014-2015! Junpiter Futbol managed to catch up with the tough and outspoken defender exclusively as he spoke about Arsenal, the UEFA Champions League 2006 Final, Arsene Wenger, Alexis Sánchez and that 50th game! Special thanks to PUMA Singapore.
JPF: What is your most memorable moment playing for club and country?
SC: For club, it has to be my first season with Arsenal winning the double, Premiership and FA Cup in 2001-02. It was a fantastic memory for Arsenal but winning the double in my very first season with them was really special. International wise, it has to be my first World Cup participation in France, the game against Colombia. There was a moment where I took the ball from our box, dribbled past plenty of players all the way to the Colombian box and I nearly score a goal! It was truly another special memory as well.
JPF: Being part of the 2003/04 “untouchable” Arsenal team which did not lose a single game, what was the one big factor which made that Arsenal team special?
SC: The belief. Our team had the strength, the determination, the skills and plenty of talents. Everyone had ego and everyone just dropped their egos and played as a team! In fact, we didn’t worry too much about will we be losing any game that season. Every player was like let’s do it, let’s try to live a dream! And we did it.
JPF: What do you think of Mertesacker & Koscielny’s partnership as compared to your partnership with Kolo Toure?
SC: Totally different partnerships and different players. I mean having said that all of us play differently, at the end of the day, both partnerships in different time are getting the right result for the team.
JPF: How is Arsene Wenger as a Manager?
SC: Fantastic Manager! He plays fantastic football, he wants football to be played in the right way and he wants players to in for the right job. Alright, he waited a long time to sign his new contract but well, he always does that, haha! And last year was the best season for a long, long time for him, hopefully that is the beginning of something special.
JPF: Which kind of striker you fear? Bergkamp or Henry?
SC: When you are not well prepared for a game, you fear everybody, haha! In football, you have got to respect everybody. Not only Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, Michael Owen, Terry Sherringham, Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Emile Heskey and Dwight Yorke are all great forwards. They are all class act in their own way but good forwards do have their off days too! Well, both Bergkamp and Henry are definitely tough to play against.
JPF: Arsenal has never win an UEFA Champions League before, would you see them winning it this season?
SC: Why not! They are getting to a stage where it (winning Champions League) could happen. They have a good squad, they have a good chance, they just need to keep everyone fit.
(Photos from Internet – Arsenal.com)
JPF: What do you think of the new signing, Alexis Sánchez?
SC: He is a hardworking player and I think he’s a great signing. And with his experience in Barcelona where he coped with the pressure well, he would not have any issue adapting to another big club. He’s great, we need more players like him in the team.
JPF: Give you a chance to turn back the clock, which part of your Arsenal career would you want to change?
SC: Go back to the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final and see if we can get one more goal to put Barcelona to bed! Haha! (To see Sol Campbell’s goal in the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, Click Here)
JPF: Any advice for the young players her who inspired to be like you to be a professional footballer?
SC: Love the game! Keep football close to your heart and keep practicing. You got to study and undersand the game. If possible, play in different positions which is good for your football development and eventually you settled at your own position.
JPF: Last question, what about that 50th game…..?
SC: He dived!
To see more photos of Sol Campbell launch Arsenal Puma Kit in Singapore, Click Here.
To read more on our Brazil World Cup trip, Click Here.
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