'I think he's done really well': Blackpool boss Simon Grayson on Macclesfield manager Sol Campbell

Simon Grayson will come up against a Premier League legend in the technical area tomorrow night in Sol Campbell when his Blackpool side take on Macclesfield Town.
Campbell has been in charge at Macclesfield since November 2018Campbell has been in charge at Macclesfield since November 2018
Campbell has been in charge at Macclesfield since November 2018
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Many onlookers thought it was an unorthodox route into management for Campbell when he first came to the helm at Moss Rose.

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When the 44-year-old was appointed boss at the end of November 2018, Macclesfield were rooted to the bottom of the fourth tier, five points adrift of safety.

However, he oversaw seven wins and 10 draws from the remaining 25 games to steer Macclesfield to 22nd place, securing their League Two safety in his first season in management.

“I think he’s done really well," Grayson said.

“Last year Macclesfield looked dead and buried but they survived right at the end of the season.

“He’s gone in on the back of a fantastic playing career but it’s completely different from being a player to a manager.

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“You’ve got to learn about how to deal with things that aren’t necessarily anything to do with performances on the training ground or on the pitch.

“They had a great result at the weekend and I actually saw them in a pre-season game against Blackburn in a behind-closed-doors game.

“He’ll have them fighting and looking to cause an upset, so we’ll have to do everything we need to do to stop that.”

Campbell enjoyed a playing career that spanned 20 years in the Premier League and 11 for the English national side, which saw him win 73 caps.

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But Grayson says no matter what level you've played at, it counts for little once you start your career in management.

“I think all you can do is learn from your experiences, no matter if you’ve played 600 games in the Premier League or a mixed bag of games in the Championship and League One," he added.

“You learn from every manager you’ve worked under, all the good points and the bad points, you’ve also got your own philosophies, your own ideas and beliefs and it’s about getting the right mixture.

“That’s how I’ve tried to base my career as a manager.

“Some people will go and do it just how they want to do it, but everybody is different.”