Quotes from Sol Campbell

I have all sorts of country clothing because we live in Northumberland as well as London. You need good quality gear.

It's all right to have black captains and mixed-race in the under-18s and under-21s, but not for the full national side. There is a ceiling and although no one has ever said it, I believe it's made of glass.

I think in the end football wins hopefully, and people start looking at all scenarios. In the end I just want to be a manager. Forget whatever colour you are - that's the way it should be really.

Some players can just act like 'whatever' off the field and then play amazing. Not many, but some. I just wasn't wired like that.

I think the FA wished I was white. I had the credibility, performance-wise, to be captain. I was consistently in the heart of the defence and I was a club captain early on my career.

Once you start realising where you are, then you can start realising what you have to do to get the best results.

If you win, you have to get your feet straight back on the ground and grind out another win. You can enjoy the moment, but remain level-headed and always think ahead to the next challenge.

I like to be a tiger roaming the jungle or an eagle soaring the skies.

I became insular because at home there was no space to grow or to evolve, everything was tight and there was no room to breathe. People don't realise how that affects you as a kid. I wasn't allowed to speak, so my expression was football.

I'm a street footballer. I'm hardcore. Growing up in east London, you've got to be a little bit self-confident. As a player, I would go into detail, watch who I was playing against. Who might come into my vicinity. That gives you self-confidence.

You can be yourself and still have fun without crossing the line. Sometimes I feel like today's players don't want to do anything! Come on, be yourself! That's what people want.

People have to recognise I'm a working-class lad. Forget what I've done and where I've been. I'm a working-class lad. I've come from nothing and I've not forgotten that.

Sometimes I am the 'philosophical professor, or I can do the voice like thunder if necessary... or if I want to keep the lads on their toes I might sit back and give them a thousand-yard stare.

A hotel is so restrictive. You haven't got your own space. Yes you get the food, yes you get everything all clean and blah, blah - but sometimes it's nice to have your own space with the your family.

I am going to fight on the pitch for Newcastle and if it comes to the stage where someone says can you fight for England then I will fight for England. But I am not going to go on about it. It is just not worth it.

I have the tools to climb the mountain so I don't mind climbing mountains. I have climbed mountains since I was growing up in east London in Plaistow. I'm not scared of climbing mountains. When you get to the top, the view's great. That's what it's all about.

I am a naturally big guy, but I cannot rush my conditioning, otherwise trying too much too quickly could result in injuries.

When someone intelligent comes around, and looks at life around football in a different way, it can be alien.

Politics is very hard work. You have to really commit to things. Some people get into it for the wrong reasons.

You have to truly believe in your skill and trust that you can do something.

I saw a lot of stuff growing up as a young kid that I don't want my kids seeing.

I've done it the correct way with the coaching badges. I have done watching the games, I have done listening to managers, I have done travelling around Europe watching other managers train, I have done a bit of TV work to help with analysis.

I'm from Stratford, East London. I can get down and dirty. I just roll my sleeves up and get on with it.

I want to do some coaching, maybe a couple of days a week, and start building up slowly - find out my philosophy, how I like to play and things like that. I want to be a coach now and eventually I want to be a manager.