Cameron Campbell’s footballing adventure has taken him from Lossiemouth to Leipzig, Aberdeen, Ghana and Glasgow.
The 32-year-old joined Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig last week as a first-team and academy progression coach.
Campbell, a native of Lossie, began coaching at the Aberdeen youth club while reading at Robert Gordon University.
He then joined the Ghana-based Right to Dream academy in partnership with top Danish team Nordsjælland.
Campbell then spent the last three-and-a-half years with the heroes of his formative years, the Rangers, coaching their under-18s and helping out the first team.
An exercise swap during his time at Ibrox, in which the Gers teenagers worked out with Leipzig, led to Campbell being asked to move to Germany.
As a member of the Red Bull Sports Group, Leipzig has been a pivotal force in German football over the past decade.
They have won the German Cup in the last two seasons and have been regulars in the Champions League, contesting in the round of 16 of Europe’s most sensible festival this season.
Campbell said: “Three or four weeks after the educational exchange with Rangers, I received a call from the academy director and the deputy academy director at RB Leipzig.
“They asked if they could call me for a Zoom call to tell them about the experience, but when I answered the call, they praised me.
“They had researched my experience in football and asked me how I planned to join the club.
“It was a surprise and I didn’t expect it. They talked about what they wanted to achieve in Leipzig.
“It’s a very exciting assignment that I couldn’t refuse.
“I will be racing in the professional progression with the U19 and U17 teams.
“We’re looking to bridge the gap between young people and senior football and make sure those high-potential players have an impact in the first team.
“RB Leipzig is unique because of its history and background.
“In terms of the club model, it’s very exciting, they’re looking to expand young and interesting players.
“Just take a look at their recent transfers that promoted Dominik Szoboszlai and Josko Gvardiol to the English Premier League for a total payment of £130 million. “
Growing up, Campbell played for Elgin City and Lossiemouth United and went on to coach.
He believes coaches who haven’t played on base now have greater opportunities to showcase their skills.
Campbell added: “I think things are turning out and there are a lot of examples of other people who haven’t played at a higher level and are doing well as coaches.
“As a player, I learned quite temporarily that I will never achieve a peak or a professional point.
“But I enjoyed the tactics of the game and thinking about training.
“ÀRGU, I studied sports and coaching science and there I had the opportunity to enter the youth academy in Aberdeen.
“After doing an internship there, I discovered a part-time job in Aberdeen and worked with teams aged between U13 and U17.
“It was wonderful and then I was lucky enough to be at the Right to Dream Academy.
“They’re in Ghana, but they have a partner club in Nordsjælland, Denmark.
“I submitted a contract to run a youth academy that would look after the U11 and U16 players in Ghana.
“It was an amazing experience, I had the privilege of being on the same pitch as Mohammed Kudus (now at West Ham) and Simone Adingra (now at Brighton).
“At the same time, I enjoyed going to Nordsjælland and racing with the Danish players.
“When I was there, the Rangers called me and offered me the chance to sign up for them.
“Growing up as a Rangers fan was a surreal time that didn’t require any ideas and I spent a wonderful three-and-a-half years there. “
Campbell is determined to make his mark in Leipzig and one of the first demanding situations he has set himself is learning the language.
He said: “It’s embarrassing not to be able to speak the language because at the beginning of any verbal exchange people say, ‘I’m sorry, my English is rarely very good. ‘
“But then it’s okay and they have a 40-minute verbal exchange with you, which makes you feel even worse.
“I studied French in school, but I didn’t take it seriously.
I’m looking forward to seeing the future at a new club, a new culture and an exciting ?? new country https://t. co/pLN45L6N8w
– Cameron Campbell (@c_campbell18) March 13, 2024
“After betting on various tournaments and talking to coaches from other parts of the world, they all have English as a second language.
“I set myself the challenge of trying to learn German, the club has provided me with a tutor so I take several classes a week.
“For me it’s integrating into the culture, I paint in Germany for a German club, so I can’t be a foreigner.
“We tell players when they’re on loan that in order to excel they have to be compatible and I feel the same way.
“I need to stand out here with my ability and what I can bring to RB Leipzig and stand out because I’m Scottish and I have a Lossie accent. “
WATCH: Keith goalkeeper Craig Reid scores aerial kick in time to keep team’s unbeaten streak alive