Sol Campbell: Grimsby Town interested in job application from ex-England defender

Sol Campbell is looking to start his managerial career

Grimsby would be interested in speaking to former England defender Sol Campbell about their vacant managerial position.

Campbell, 43, had talks with League One Oxford recently and has said he is "one of the greatest minds in football".

Grimsby sacked Russell Slade earlier this month and are 18th in League Two.

"I'm surprised we haven't heard from Sol. He said that clubs aren't taking a punt on young managers. We'd have a chat with him," majority shareholder John Fenty told BBC Radio Humberside.

"There is a lack of players and ex-pros wanting to be managers. We've had no applications from people who have just left the game and that's rather surprising.

"We'd like to get it out there that we are looking for younger managers to apply.

"We gave an opportunity to Brian Laws and he went on to manage nearly 1,000 games. We gave Paul Hurst a chance and he is now one of the most highly rated managers in the Football League, doing a great job at Shrewsbury."

Campbell, who is working as the assistant manager of Trinidad & Tobago, made 73 appearances for England and also played for Tottenham, Arsenal, Portsmouth and Newcastle before retiring in 2011.

Earlier this week he told Arsenal fan podcast Highbury & Heels: "I'm confident and it's not like it's rocket science to run a football club, especially when you get to that level.

"If you're intelligent enough and a quick learner you will learn pretty soon, within two or three games, what the team needs, training-wise, to survive in that league, get better in that league, to get in the play-offs or even win the league.

"I'm intelligent enough, 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'."