Football
ESPN staff 6y

Cardiff's Craig Bellamy in Oxford job talks, Sol Campbell 'rejected'

Former Liverpool and Manchester City forward Craig Bellamy is in talks over the vacant manager's job at Oxford United after Sol Campbell said he had been turned down by the League One club.

The BBC reported that Bellamy, currently the player development manager at Cardiff City, could replace Pep Clotet, sacked by Oxford last month.

Bellamy, 38, was interviewed for the post of Wales coach -- eventually given to Ryan Giggs -- but could now get his first managerial role at the Kassam Stadium.

But former Spurs and Arsenal defender Campbell, appearing on the Highbury and Heels podcast, said he had been rejected by Oxford.

"I did go it [the Oxford job] and they didn't accept me," he said. "Maybe it was a lack of experience, things like that, but it's a full circle. Experience? How do I get experience? Well, I need a job to get experience.

"I don't want to go too low that it's a struggle, and I don't want to go too low that I'm under someone and thinking: 'What am I doing here?' I would rather be managing a club myself.

"I can't believe some people -- I'm one of the greatest minds in football and I'm being wasted because of a lack of experience or 'maybe he talks his mind too much."

Meanwhile, Cardiff manager Neil Warnock backed him Bellamy the task of reviving Oxford, five points clear of the League One relegation zone.

"I think it would be a good appointment," he said. "These top players need to go out and learn the business.

"It's not just about coaching, it's about managing up and down with the boardroom and everything.

"Craig has got great attributes. He might have been disappointed not to get the Welsh job, and I hope he does get it [the Oxford role]."

Cardiff chief executive Ken Choo, who gave Bellamy permission to talk to Oxford, told BBC Wales: "We want to facilitate Craig's opportunities to get experience. This could be a good move for his career."

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