Campbell slams Hughton axe

Sol Campbell reckons the Newcastle players will ask ‘what is going on?’ after manager Chris Hughton was sacked.

The Magpies terminated Hughton’s contract on Monday afternoon, saying they needed “someone with more experience”.

Hughton, who was named permanent manager in October 2009 after a number of caretaker stints, led Newcastle to last season’s Championship title and a positive start on their Premier League return.

Although Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at West Brom was their fifth game without a win, the Magpies are still 11th having hammered derby rivals Sunderland 5-1 five weeks ago before winning 1-0 at Arsenal.

There was speculation Hughton was about to be sacked in October but the club claimed they would be looking to renegotiate his contract in the New Year, so Campbell is dismayed by the decision to let him go.

“This will hit the players hard,” the veteran defender told Soccernet. “The players admired him and liked him and won’t be happy now he’s gone like this.
Unbelievable job

“It makes no sense. Here is a guy who has done an unbelievable job. He got the club back into the Premier League and any manager would have been rewarded for that with a new contract, but Chris wasn’t.

“The players are sure to be asking themselves, ‘What the hell is going on?’, that is only natural.

“When we left training this morning none of the players had a clue this was coming.

“Yes, it has come as a shock, and it will affect the dressing room there is no doubt about that.”