Campo: Dynamic duo would flourish at Real

Former Real Madrid star Ivan Campo believes the careers of Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy would flourish were they given the chance to join his old club.

But amid speculation in Spain that the Primera Liga champions are to bid for van Nistelrooy during the summer, the Bolton player has questioned whether Madrid really need a new striker.

With Raul and Ronaldo inked onto the team-sheet each week, Campo sees no way to break their monopoly on the two front-running roles, even with Henry and Van Nistelrooy in hot scoring form for Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.

“They are the players most in form in the Premiership and they both have the quality to be in a team like Madrid’s,” said Campo.

“Although I am not sure if they need strikers at the moment.

“What is clear is that they (Madrid) are constantly improving, they play fantastic football and score lots of goals.”

Madrid have made it an unofficial club policy to sign a superstar each year, with Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham – arguably the four most widely recognised players in the world – recruited since summer 2000.

The quartet have made Madrid the most attractive team in world football, and Beckham’s arrival has added to their midfield workrate.

Campo has been impressed by Beckham’s form since his £24m (€34.2m) arrival from Manchester United.

“He is a class player, he is playing very well, and on top of that he has been able to win the public over,” said Campo.

Watching life at Madrid unfurl from afar was not Campo’s choice.

He joined Bolton, initially on a year-long loan, in August 2002, after being told there was no future for him with the Primera Liga giants.

It was news which wounded Campo, but his impressive impact at Bolton has gone some way towards soothing the pain of being ditched.

The Spanish defender-cum-midfielder said: “At Real Madrid things took place which I don’t want to talk about now. What pained me most was to leave and nobody said a word of thanks.

“All I know is that I gave a lot to that team in almost four years and for me as well as others they did not say goodbye.

“They are not gentlemen.

“If they believe they are the best team in the world then they should learn to have consideration.”

Campo is in the first year of a three-year permanent contract and has played a major role in Sam Allardyce’s team occupying a mid-table position in this season’s Premiership.

“My football is nearer to the Spanish than the English but I had to leave (Madrid) and I chose the Premiership,” he said.

“The life here is very different for its customs, the language and a whole series of things that I learn from day to day, but I am a professional footballer and I have to deal with this.”

Campo is arguably now playing the best football of his career.

“I am playing well but the most important thing is for the team to win. You always try to do the spectacular and here the football allows you to do this more than in Spain,” he said.

“To start with, the fans give the players a lot more respect and they want you to enjoy the football. They always support you and don’t criticise.

“The fans live for the team and the club comes first, it is fantastic, and when you go out onto the pitch the atmosphere is superb.

“Bolton are doing well due to daily work, we have good players like (Jay-Jay) Okocha and (Youri) Djorkaeff but they are not stars.

“For that reason we know that we have to go cautiously game by game and fight for a victory each minute.

“We have won points that we did not expect to gain, and that has made this season more calm for us than last year when we ensured our safety in the last week.

“I have confidence here, that is the perfect word for it, all the world knows that if you have confidence then you perform at 100%.”