Sol Campbell has been the latest name linked with the current managerial vacancy at QPR.

According to the Daily Mail, the London club is looking at the possibility of appointing the former Arsenal defender.

Mark Warburton left the Championship club following the expiration of his contract at the end of the season, meaning the club is now looking to appoint a new manager for the next campaign.

Here, we take a look at two pros and two cons to bringing Campbell into the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

Pros:

Decent record at poor clubs

While his overall winning percentage between his stints at Macclesfield and Southend United won’t be too high, these were cash-strapped clubs fighting relegation.

That context puts into perspective two decent records during his time at either club.

 

 

From his 30 games in charge of the Silkmen, Campbell led the team to nine wins and 10 draws, securing their status in League Two that season.

The 47-year old’s record at Southend wasn’t as impressive, but that was also a side stuck in rock bottom of League One and ultimately relegated under massive financial constraints and a curtailed season.

Fresh ideas from a young coach looking to prove himself

Campbell will come into QPR with fresh and exciting ideas about football given the stage of his coaching career he finds himself in.

The defender got his previous clubs playing attacking football. While it didn’t always work out, the methods and ideas were on display that he could hone managing a bigger side in QPR.

It would certainly be a risk for the London club to take-on, but Campbell wants to be successful at the highest level and this is now a chance for him to prove himself.

Cons:

Time away from the game:

Campbell has not been a manager since departing Southend in June 2020, which is now almost two years ago.

That is a long time in the world of football and much has changed in that period. 

Campbell will need to get up to speed quickly as he adapts back to his surroundings and he may have to re-learn a lot of what he has already done at previous clubs, which QPR can ill afford.

Lack of Championship experience:

Campbell has so far only managed two clubs in his entire career, which on-paper isn’t awful.

However, he only took charge for a total of 53 games across both stints which is a meagre figure in football terms.

Macclesfield and Southend were also both in League Two and League One respectively, and neither were exactly competing high up the table either.

At QPR, the expectations will be massive compared to at previous clubs, which Campbell has never had to handle as a manager.

This makes it such a massive risk for the club to take the former England international in as Warburton’s replacement.