Eriksson 'disappointed' by Campbell's departure

Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he feels personally let down by Sol Campbell's departure from Notts County. The former Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth defender quit the Coca-Cola League Two club just five weeks after signing a five-year contract reportedly worth in the region of €44,000 a week.

He made only one appearance for the Magpies - a 2-1 league defeat at Morecambe last weekend.

Speaking about Campbell's decision to leave, director of football Eriksson told Sky Sports News: "I am very disappointed, very much so because we signed him and we thought we should have him for longer."

Eriksson was instrumental in bringing Campbell to Meadow Lane having managed the player during his time as England boss.

Asked if he felt personally let down by the 35-year-old, the Swede added: "Yes a little bit, but I think everybody has the same feeling - the players, the coaching staff, the directors and the fans because he is a big name and an important player."

It has been reported that Campbell had quickly become disillusioned with the club's rate of progression during his short stay.

Eriksson claims not to know why the player walked away from the club, but insists that reason would be grossly unfair should it be true.

He continued: "I really don't know the real reason. He didn't like the training pitch and the dressing room and things like that but he knew that before because we showed him around before he signed.

"We know we are not perfect at this moment and I don't think that would be fair at all. It is a long-term project.

"Since the new owners came in the club have signed seven or eight new players, and you can't build a new training ground in four or five weeks.

"It takes time to make the stadium better, it can't be done over a weekend so I think that's unfair.

"We are all sorry that he has gone but the project goes on without Sol Campbell, nothing has changed."

The Football League is investigating the takeover at Meadow Lane by Munto Finance, whose money has made signings such as Campbell's possible. Mystery surrounds who is actually behind the Switzerland-based consortium with executive chairman Peter Trembling, the former commercial director at Everton, fronting the Middle East investors.

The Football League has not yet rubber-stamped the takeover and is demanding to know the identity of the club's owners. Eriksson revealed even he does not know who is behind the revolution at the World's oldest Football League club.

"I haven't met the people, I have only met the representatives for the owners but I am sure that everything is all right," said Eriksson. "The money comes in so everything is normal. I am not worried at all about what is being written about what's going on behind the scenes.

"I don't know where the money comes from, I think that's for the chairman to know, and I am not really interested in it. The important thing is that the money comes."

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp had earlier ruled out making a shock move for Campbell.

Rumours have suggested that Redknapp, who is a massive admirer of the 35-year-old having worked with him at Portsmouth, could make a move for the central defender in January when the player is free to join another club.

However, Redknapp has moved quickly to dismiss any notion of a deal by claiming the bad blood that still exists as a result of his move from Spurs to Arsenal in 2001 would make any deal impossible.

Writing in his column in The Sun, Redknapp said: "Some people are already claiming I am now going to sign Sol. Well, let's nail that one straight away - it ain't going to happen.

"I said during the summer that, if I was the boss of any other Premier League club, I'd sign Sol like a shot.

"That statement still applies today. But there is no way in the world Sol is ever going to play for Spurs again.

"There is simply too much bad feeling towards him from the fans at White Hart Lane.

"It would be too much hassle for him, for me and the club. Anyway, I couldn't sign him even if I wanted to because of the regulations.

"Sol is now a free agent but Premier League clubs can't sign any players unless they were out of contract in the transfer window."