Team Captain

[MaryMillingtonsGhost]

As much as I, and I'm reasonably certain most of us on here love the bloke, Is Bowen REALLY captain material?
CPP may have proven to be somewhat of a fraud managerial wise, but was he wrong in stating that Bowen isn't really up to being team captain?
Apart from being our 'best' player, I honestly don't think he was given the armband for any other reason as we all know he'll always be the first on the teamsheet (and that includes potato salad and JWP).
Does the 'best' player necessarily make an ideal choice to captain the team?
Is it time to hand the armband over? And if so, to whom?
Am fully expecting a cսnt in the bastard.

[,]

COYI, who would you have selected as the regular Captain instead of Noble?

[Come On You Irons]

Noble was anything but a good captain.

Is that why almost every team mate, to a man, said he was a brilliant captain? Even all the foreign lads who commended his ability for integrating them into the squad. 

Seems popular to criticise Noble at the moment, but his captaincy absolutely should not be questioned, based on what his fellow pros say about him. 

He might have been a good "dressing room captain" and everyone's best mate behind the scenes but on the field I think he was distinctly lacking as a team captain.

[,]

The fact is that Bowen fits the bill best to Captain the team. It is a prerequisite that the player has to be a definite regular starter and one who leads by example. 

The Captain position should not be up for grabs or discussion right now.

[Ron Eff]

Noble was anything but a good captain.

Is that why almost every team mate, to a man, said he was a brilliant captain? Even all the foreign lads who commended his ability for integrating them into the squad. 

Seems popular to criticise Noble at the moment, but his captaincy absolutely should not be questioned, based on what his fellow pros say about him. 

[Ron Eff]

I think it would be a very miscalculated mistake to even think about changing captain, unless Bowen suggested he was open to relinquishing. 

No player is bigger than the club, but when you have a player who epitomises the club values, gives everything to the cause and is the only consistent good thing about the recent set up, you would be stupid to run the risk of embarrassing him and him wanting to leave. 

We need more leaders, and there should be a leadership team of senior players which relieves some pressure. A good mix of more vocal players and those who show leadership by example is ideal. 

Given the lack of other options, it shouldn’t even be a conversation right now, and gormless Graham is even more of a clown than he displayed by raising the subject. Of all the people questioning leadership credentials, the coat collar biting, beard scratching, cliché quoting, spiky idiot is the last.

[Come On You Irons]

Noble was anything but a good captain.

[Lato]

Not to many other candidates to be fair apart from Soucek and Kilman wasn't the latter Captain under both Nuno and Loppy at Wolves?  Bowen has hard boots to follow......Moore, Bonds, Alvin, Dicksy, Parker, Nolan and Noble to name but a few of our former great Captains!

[the exile]

I think many of us are overlooking the fact that the problem with a lack of leadership wasn't Bowen but Potter. Nuno has already shown more leadership and strength of purpose in a few days than Potter did in a few months. 
Okay, so Bowen isn't an "in your face" kind of leader on the pitch but he leads by example and that, along with the new manager's strong leadership, is good enough for me.

[Massive Attack]

I still miss that bastard Lucas Neill.

[WakefieldHammet]

You have to look at a perfect example of what a great captain is and choose somebody like him. Our greatest captain was Bobby Moore, so pick somebody like him Simple!                                                                                                                                         Taking your criteria into account, who in the current squad would you suggest then?
 

[F 129 Row66]

You have to look at a perfect example of what a great captain is and choose somebody like him. Our greatest captain was Bobby Moore, so pick somebody like him Simple!

[honky cat]

Nobody wants kilman. But he is an experienced club captain and should be able to handle it, and was probably recruited for that role -  so why the fuck is he mincing around the place. 
So yes as others have implied, "Captain" just a symbolic role now for your best player - in our case Bowen. In Wolves case, at that time it was Kilman.

We need to sign a leader.

[wils]

Does the 'best' player necessarily make an ideal choice to captain the team?
- No.

Is it time to hand the armband over?
- If there is someone more suitable, then yes.

And if so, to whom?
- There isn't anyone. So Bowen it is.

[Pshyco scored all 4]

Pacqueta is the best choice . If jarrod becomes club captain.  Like Fernandes at the Mancs.  he'd be  constantly be in the ears of the  officials which helps .

[Massive Attack]

Quality defences (in a back 4) are always built on 2 decent Centre Halves not one. Kilman needs a reliable partner that either turns up on time to Training and doesn't fight with Coaches or isn't an accident waiting to happen defensively. I'm hoping Igor can be a much needed welcome addition to support Kilman at the back if the back 4 formation stays the main system at the back. 

Todibo should be that man but time and again he proves how unprofessional and unift he is to the cause. Maybe Nuno can give him a rocket up the arae to sort his shit out. He's got that about him and if not he'll stay out in the cold no doubt.

January cannot come soon enough..

Kilman doesn’t need the added distraction of captaincy, leave it to Bowen.

[Far Cough UKunt]

I agree Kilman is not captain material, in fact he barely gets in my team.

Soucek would be a good choice.

[El Scorchio]

Kilman?!  Probably the worst choice of the lot.

Oh I agree he's absolutely not a good fit for it but that's the point. We have basically no-one to choose from who meets the criteria of being 

a) captain material
b) actually playing more often than not

The only players whose position in the side is guaranteed if fit at the moment are Paqueta, Fernandes, Magassa, Diouf, Summerville, Bowen and Kilman. You wouldn't make any of those first five captain at this point in time. That only leaves the incumbent and Kilman. If Soucek were good enough to be in the team every game, then it's him for me no question in terms of being captain material. But he's not.

I wouldn't want Kilman seen as a guaranteed starter.  I'd rather keep Bowen in that role (who I don't think is captain material) over him.

Me either. And it's all well and good saying that but he's getting on the team sheet before Igor, Mavropanos and Todibo who is seemingly persona non grata under a third consecutive manager- at least until January. 

[Lee Trundle]

It's increasingly either your best player or defacto the most senior/long serving player, OR the one you want to keep sweet, rather than the one best cut out for it.

It's understandable to an extent. Bowen is clearly our captain to encourage him to stay, as was Rice.

Honestly though if you look around our squad, who that is actually going to play regularly is captain material, really? Fabianski probably would have been but goalie as a captain is no good. Kilman is the only other player who gets significant time that you could possibly stick the armband on. Soucek is the obvious captain in the squad but won't play anywhere near enough. Fernandes maybe in a few years if he becomes a general.

Kilman?!  Probably the worst choice of the lot.

Oh I agree he's absolutely not a good fit for it but that's the point. We have basically no-one to choose from who meets the criteria of being 

a) captain material
b) actually playing more often than not

The only players whose position in the side is guaranteed if fit at the moment are Paqueta, Fernandes, Magassa, Diouf, Summerville, Bowen and Kilman. You wouldn't make any of those first five captain at this point in time. That only leaves the incumbent and Kilman. If Soucek were good enough to be in the team every game, then it's him for me no question in terms of being captain material. But he's not.

I wouldn't want Kilman seen as a guaranteed starter.  I'd rather keep Bowen in that role (who I don't think is captain material) over him.

[El Scorchio]

I think you are probably correct. If as others have suggested in today's football the best player is made captain, then, applied retrospectively, Trevor Brooking would have ousted Billy Bonds from the captaincy. Now I loved both players but I know who was the best captain. 

I also wonder if in today's football the move towards ensuring that when buying players it is their behaviour characteristics carry, as much, if not more, weight than their skills. This might just explain why we have a squad that is too "nice" and lacking character.

Obviously, the vetting can go wrong if reports around Todibo are to be believed.

It's increasingly either your best player or defacto the most senior/long serving player, OR the one you want to keep sweet, rather than the one best cut out for it.

It's understandable to an extent. Bowen is clearly our captain to encourage him to stay, as was Rice.

Honestly though if you look around our squad, who that is actually going to play regularly is captain material, really? Fabianski probably would have been but goalie as a captain is no good. Kilman is the only other player who gets significant time that you could possibly stick the armband on. Soucek is the obvious captain in the squad but won't play anywhere near enough. Fernandes maybe in a few years if he becomes a general.

Kilman?!  Probably the worst choice of the lot.

Oh I agree he's absolutely not a good fit for it but that's the point. We have basically no-one to choose from who meets the criteria of being 

a) captain material
b) actually playing more often than not

The only players whose position in the side is guaranteed if fit at the moment are Paqueta, Fernandes, Magassa, Diouf, Summerville, Bowen and Kilman. You wouldn't make any of those first five captain at this point in time. That only leaves the incumbent and Kilman. If Soucek were good enough to be in the team every game, then it's him for me no question in terms of being captain material. But he's not.

[Russ of the BML]

 Would not be a smart move imo to change the captaincy  now. Removing it from Bowen / any existing player is likely to demotivate / upset the person.  Bowen is our most imprtant player so gets the leadership role by virtue of that even if he perhaps not a natural leader or communicator.

Being an old twat from the olden days of footie, I always found a centre back was the ideal position for the captain and leader. Whole game in front of them, usually a big lump who can bark out orders.  That player ideally has football intelligence and a close relationship with the manager to understand tactical side.  A centre mid can do it too but in either case they of course need to have the respect of team mates or are initimated by the captain enough to do as they are told. There are a lot of prima donnas in the world of football

shame our CBs are all a bit flakey and quiet. Bowen can be captain but we need a lieutenant at the back. Looks like we will have to buy one

I am with you. I like a CB or CM traditionally. However, football has changed so much and the managers now have coaching teams which means communication can be more nuanced. The game is more complex tactically with different formations when the ball is in / out of possession and / or in different thirds of the pitch. So the squads have shape drilled into them in training so team movement in real time becomes second nature. I just don't think there is any need for a 'barker' on the pitch anymore. So you pick a player that leads by example and by taking responsibility with the ball and doing their job to the maximum. 

Just my thoughts. 

[Sir Alf]

 Would not be a smart move imo to change the captaincy  now. Removing it from Bowen / any existing player is likely to demotivate / upset the person.  Bowen is our most imprtant player so gets the leadership role by virtue of that even if he perhaps not a natural leader or communicator.

Being an old twat from the olden days of footie, I always found a centre back was the ideal position for the captain and leader. Whole game in front of them, usually a big lump who can bark out orders.  That player ideally has football intelligence and a close relationship with the manager to understand tactical side.  A centre mid can do it too but in either case they of course need to have the respect of team mates or are initimated by the captain enough to do as they are told. There are a lot of prima donnas in the world of football

shame our CBs are all a bit flakey and quiet. Bowen can be captain but we need a lieutenant at the back. Looks like we will have to buy one

[Mad Ferret]

Should be Flappyhandski.

[Lee Trundle]

I think old school captains are a thing of the past.  Look at some of them in the prem these days.  Odegaard etc.

I think you are probably correct. If as others have suggested in today's football the best player is made captain, then, applied retrospectively, Trevor Brooking would have ousted Billy Bonds from the captaincy. Now I loved both players but I know who was the best captain. 

I also wonder if in today's football the move towards ensuring that when buying players it is their behaviour characteristics carry, as much, if not more, weight than their skills. This might just explain why we have a squad that is too "nice" and lacking character.

Obviously, the vetting can go wrong if reports around Todibo are to be believed.

It's increasingly either your best player or defacto the most senior/long serving player, OR the one you want to keep sweet, rather than the one best cut out for it.

It's understandable to an extent. Bowen is clearly our captain to encourage him to stay, as was Rice.

Honestly though if you look around our squad, who that is actually going to play regularly is captain material, really? Fabianski probably would have been but goalie as a captain is no good. Kilman is the only other player who gets significant time that you could possibly stick the armband on. Soucek is the obvious captain in the squad but won't play anywhere near enough. Fernandes maybe in a few years if he becomes a general.

Kilman?!  Probably the worst choice of the lot.

[El Scorchio]

I think old school captains are a thing of the past.  Look at some of them in the prem these days.  Odegaard etc.

I think you are probably correct. If as others have suggested in today's football the best player is made captain, then, applied retrospectively, Trevor Brooking would have ousted Billy Bonds from the captaincy. Now I loved both players but I know who was the best captain. 

I also wonder if in today's football the move towards ensuring that when buying players it is their behaviour characteristics carry, as much, if not more, weight than their skills. This might just explain why we have a squad that is too "nice" and lacking character.

Obviously, the vetting can go wrong if reports around Todibo are to be believed.

It's increasingly either your best player or defacto the most senior/long serving player, OR the one you want to keep sweet, rather than the one best cut out for it.

It's understandable to an extent. Bowen is clearly our captain to encourage him to stay, as was Rice.

Honestly though if you look around our squad, who that is actually going to play regularly is captain material, really? Fabianski probably would have been but goalie as a captain is no good. Kilman is the only other player who gets significant time that you could possibly stick the armband on. Soucek is the obvious captain in the squad but won't play anywhere near enough. Fernandes maybe in a few years if he becomes a general.

[easthammer]

I think old school captains are a thing of the past.  Look at some of them in the prem these days.  Odegaard etc.

I think you are probably correct. If as others have suggested in today's football the best player is made captain, then, applied retrospectively, Trevor Brooking would have ousted Billy Bonds from the captaincy. Now I loved both players but I know who was the best captain. 

I also wonder if in today's football the move towards ensuring that when buying players it is their behaviour characteristics carry, as much, if not more, weight than their skills. This might just explain why we have a squad that is too "nice" and lacking character.

Obviously, the vetting can go wrong if reports around Todibo are to be believed.