New captain required? (Post West Ham Poll)

Dithering Dougie · January 7, 2015

davek said:
That's simply untrue. Terry and Kompany, are the two most successful captains and are real leaders.

Terry with Cech, Fabregas, Drogba, Ivanovic, Mikel and previously Lampard and Cole

Or

Kompany with Hart, Toure, Fernando, Jovetic, Zabeleta, Demichelis, Aguero and again Lampard.

True dat..

Pienaar's gloves · January 7, 2015

I'd give it to Coleman.

But that's why I'm not a football manager.

Big Fat Sam · January 7, 2015

Jagielka is an absolute shithouse of a captain.

Woolly Blue · January 7, 2015

Dithering Dougie said:
Yes that's all very true but you're also,ignoring that in this squad of players there's a couple of muilt medal winners (Eto'o and Barry) an another international captain (Howard) and at least two other players who are just as experienced as Jags.

SureLy that's enough leaders with experience and quality in our squad of 24? a modern captains role is more media orientated than anything else now squads are so big and diverse.

Err, no, I'm not ignoring anything.
You're plainly an intelligent guy and have a fair amount of self confidence, but not everyone is like that, so there will be a fair few of our squad who look to the captain for leadership. In some ways, it doesn't matter how talented someone is, if they need a kick up the backside, or a bit of encouragement occasionally then, though anyone can give them that, it's the captains role to really come to the fore, especially when things aren't going well.

Anyway, Eto'o is part of the squad, but not on the pitch often enough to really influence people. Tonight, as always, when he was playing, he was geeing people up. If he'd been playing for Everton five years ago ( I wish ) he'd have made an excellent captain.

Barry and Howard are experienced players, and though Howard has skipper of the USA, I don't think either of them are natural leaders. Looking at the starting eleven tonight, I'm struggling to find someone who's a leader who isn't a bit inexperienced. Mirallas is the only one which comes to mind.

If you reply, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just asleep (y)

davek · January 7, 2015

Brownie said:
Partly why they're both worth absolutely loads and way out of our reach. There aren't many natural leaders in football these days.

Naismith was rubbish tonight by the way dave.

But you can have leaders also in teams with less success. Shawcross, for example. Or even Cattermole. I know that partly destroys my above argument about the best in the game being blessed with leaders, but those types show that captains can embody a spirit that inspires others.

We have Jagielka. :oops:

SpurtingLesbian · January 7, 2015

Give it McCarthy, he's already the Captain when he plays.
The only one in the thick of it that gives a feck.

The Equaliser · January 7, 2015

McCarthy will make a great captain in years to come when he has fully matured as a player; by that I mean mentally, not ability-wise.

In the meantime...no change mid-season but I'd give it to Baines next term. It might even inspire him to take a corner properly.*

*JOKING Leighton

sd_1992 · January 7, 2015

Jags is a great club captain. I imagine the players respect him and he seems like a nice guy. I imagine he is the type to pick up his coaching badges and go into management one day and he will probably be quite a good manager one day.

On the pitch however, we need someone who is loud and in the refs face constantly over every decision. I imagine refs are beginning to see us as soft touches and so are less likely to give us the decisions that matter if they are borderline. Calls for McCarthy are laughable as whilst you would want him in your team he certainly isn't going to be getting in refs faces. The only player we really have that fits the bill is Howard, and his position probably rules him out of it. My vote would go to Barry (if he can recapture his form) for the reason that he is the only one that has the stature to get in the refs face and make him think twice about giving West Ham a load of soft fouls and us nothing....

SpurtingLesbian · January 7, 2015

The Equaliser said:
McCarthy will make a great captain in years to come when he has fully matured as a player; by that I mean mentally, not ability-wise.

He's been playing First team football since he's 16, he's mentally way ahead of any one else he age and probably 3-4 years older.

The Equaliser · January 7, 2015

SpurtingLesbian said:
He's been playing First team football since he's 16, he's mentally way ahead of any one else he age and probably 3-4 years older.

One of the criticisms he gets when playing for Ireland is that he does not take the game by the scruff of the neck enough.

He is class and is defo captaincy material. But if he could add that to his game, particularly a little more self-belief when in the opposition half of the pitch, he could be a captain in the Roy Keane mould.

SpurtingLesbian · January 7, 2015

sd_1992 said:
Calls for McCarthy are laughable as whilst you would want him in your team he certainly isn't going to be getting in refs faces.

You've obviously not seen him haranguing the ref this season. He knows that game and plays it more than anyone now. He's not got a reputation for taking the pish with it either so is seen by the Ref's as not overreacting to things when he is actually pushing them.

He's certainly on the Ref more than the rest of our outfield players with the exception of perhaps Barry who picks up too many cards to be credible in his moaning and 'obviously' at it.

SpurtingLesbian · January 7, 2015

The Equaliser said:
One of the criticisms he gets when playing for Ireland is that he does not take the game by the scruff of the neck enough.

He is class and is defo captaincy material. But if he could add that to his game, particularly a little more self-belief when in the opposition half of the pitch, he could be a captain in the Roy Keane mould.

Yup, I get that, but he's not given licence to do that under Bobby's system (where his priority is covering Coleman rather than getting forward himself), and he's not Roy Keane.
He breaks up attacks, covers the defence and initiates attacks (which he does have the range of passing to do), puts him right in the heart of it.
He is our metronome, whether he gets forward or not and probably needs to express himself more (sort of like an gobby ginger Carrick) but from what I've seen of him he'll grow into it with the responsibility.

The Equaliser · January 7, 2015

SpurtingLesbian said:
Yup, I get that, but he's not given licence to do that under Bobby's system (where his priority is covering Coleman rather than getting forward himself), and he's not Roy Keane.
He breaks up attacks, covers the defence and initiates attacks (which he does have the range of passing to do), puts him right in the heart of it.
He is our metronome, whether he gets forward or not and probably needs to express himself more (sort of like an gobby ginger Carrick) but from what I've seen of him he'll grow into it with the responsibility.

Yep which is why I'd say he will be a future captain.

Mind you if he was given it now I wouldn't object. At all.

SpurtingLesbian · January 7, 2015

The Equaliser said:
Yep which is why I'd say he will be a future captain.

Mind you if he was given it now I wouldn't object. At all.

Someone has to step up to it and impose themselves and you never see his head drop. It probably would be the making of him.

davek · January 7, 2015

Dear God, I've just seen that West Ham goal in detail. At the corner Jagielka starts off with his hands on his hips, then he watches Collins make his move to go near post and he just stands there rooted to the spot as Collins races ahead of Distin.

In microcosm you couldn't wish for a better example of why that pair of frauds need kicking to the kerb ASAP.

And Jagielka's overall performance was nothing short of a disgrace.

He can't be picked for the City game. He's just outrageously bad.