The armband. A changing of the guard?

[Goat]

surely Howard must be on your shortlist for the abuse his defenders get...

No, he doesnt talk enough, he certainly doesnt control his area. He likes to shout abuse at the players, but I get the impression that none of them even listen to him.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Steven Gerrard doesn't talk all that much, he's a good captain. There are many different styles, Jagielka is cool, calm and collected, as is Heitinga, despite people trying to pass him off as some sort of nutter.

Arteta should be vice captain.

 

[best little spaniard]

Jags captain, Mikel vice-captain.


I'd say Heitinga, but I think he needs to be here a bit longer.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Steven Gerrard doesn't talk all that much, he's a good captain.

Never stops to the ref, but yeah great captain, if any of his players took a dive he'd, "have to have a word."

oh you mean leads by example, yeah they are all copying the cheating scumbag now.

 

[moyes_bringin_it_back]

Never stops to the ref, but yeah great captain, if any of his players took a dive he'd, "have to have a word."

oh you mean leads by example, yeah they are all copying the cheating scumbag now.

Wonder what that means for the local nightclub scene?

Maybe we've located the source of anti-social behaviour in this country!

 

[StDomingosGringo]

Thanks for the comments guys, especially as I missed the controversy button once again. Can someone pass me a copy of the party line so I can remedy this next time.

For me a captain should be one of the first names on the team sheet. I think Moyes thinks the same as I can't recall a time when his captain (whoever it has been) has been fit and available and not played.

I like the idea of Phil being given the revived role of Club Captain with Jags my preferred option for Team Captain. The two Phil's working together to be the link between management, coaches and players sounds perfect. Jags has all the attributes to be a great Captain, he's vocal enough and leads by example. His media performances arn't too shabby either.

Of the other candidates Heitinga has not been with us long enough, Cahill and Arteta good vice captains but I prefer them concentrating on playing and Howard I dislike keepers as captains and that's coming from one!

 

[Philw]

I think Jags would be great, and more vocal and demanding than many on here seem to give him credit for, and also good at organising the troops. The commentators picked up on the effect he had as soon as he came on against Sporting.

 

[chicoazul]

If a game of two halves is the biggest of footballing cliches then surely expect the unexpected is the biggest cliche attached to Everton Football club. You'd almost be forgiven to expect it scrawled in that invisible ink you had as a kid playing at spies under the beloved Nil Satis of our scared crest.

Oh remember the summer, all that optimism before the latest noveau riche of the Premiership came calling for our goal scoring centre half. The sense of loss tempered by the huge fee and exciting multiple replacements that all of a sudden gave this club a depth of quality those of us in our early thirties have never known in our adult lives. Championship manager buffs struggling to fit all our quality into a formation without 6 midfielders and two up top, bench bristling with experienced pros and talented kids alike. Our injury woes surely behind us and then that invisible motto struck once more.

If 2008/09 was the season of no strikers then the start of 09/10 became the curse of the centre back. Our unsettled backline has persisted to now, less than 10 games left of the season and still for a variety of reasons we are fielding half fit defenders in vital fixtures and wondering why the goals still flow against us.

This is not a post mortum. The season is far from over and a small matter of half a million per placing shouldn't be sniffed at...oh and pride too. We've held unwanted "best of the rest" tag for 2 seasons and while the belt is now surely lost, giving a few lumps out so the eventual victors don't look so pretty in their victory photos wouldn't go amiss.

Despite this thoughts are inevitably drawn to next season now. I doubt I'm alone at hoping we are the quietest club in the forthcoming summer sales. In fact despite being enamoured with a certain Californian I'd be quite happy if nothing happened. No in's, no outs. Yes we've a new keeper and maybe a lower league journeyman striker to pique our interest in a charity shop kind of way but we know any major signings will probably be funded by the loss of the little Saffa or the Birkdale Boy Wonder. No thanks mate, I'll stick with what we've got, but that doesn't mean changes do not need to happen.

But what I would like to see is one statement of intent and one that might seem harsh. The handing of the captains armband from Captain Phil to...erm Captain Phil. Moyes has been accused of having his favourites, players deemed untouchable regardless of form and maybe even the ravages of injury and Father Time but like Weir, Stubbs and Carsley before him maybe it is Phil's moment to step from central figure to valued squad member.

I certain Kopite journo lurker who used to cover our beloved Blues once quoted me saying an injury to Phil was a blessing in disguise. Out of context it seemed unduely harsh on such a seasoned pro and undoubted gentleman. A man who won us sceptics over with his professionalism and genuine understanding of what this club stands for, surely deserved better than vilification by "faceless hacks" such as myself.

However I see now a shadow of his effectiveness of old. His inability to move into forward positions and risk being caught behind the play reminds me of the older fellas all of us amateur cloggers play with. The heart is willing, the brain and passion there as ever but the legs just can't be brought into line.

The modern game asks for modern fullbacks like Leighton Baines, attacking and progressive. Our 451 wingless wonders need the overlap from the full backs even more than the average team. Phil can no longer perform this role on current evidence. Even in slowly built up attacks the stifling of our attacking play from the right can no longer be ignored.

Moyes had made tough calls before, Neville is a fantastic professional and an asset to the club still but he must look around at the squad of Fellaini's, Rodwell's and Coleman's and know his time as a regular is coming to a close just as Cahill's will after him. Let's just hope it's that Ronaldo tackle that's the lasting memory and not the old Champ (and he's got the medals to back up that analogy) getting jeered for his fading skills.

Harvey Dent got it spot on "Either You Die A Hero Or You Live Long Enough To See Yourself Become The Villain."

COYB

Super article mate, well in.

 

[DENNIS STEVENS]

There's a serious lack of dissent on this thread & I'm not going be any different - Neville seems to be a natural leader but you have to question whether he can still justify a first XI spot on footballing ability alone & if not then Jagielka & Heitinga seem to me to be the two outstanding candidates to succeed him as skipper.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

wasn't Jags captain at Sheff Utd ?

 

[chicoazul]

wasn't Jags captain at Sheff Utd ?

I think he was.

Strikes me a a decent captain sort.

There would be nothing wrong with making him vice captain and if Phil isn't playing then he the man.

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

The only one who's really suited is Jags...but not yet.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Warnock made him el capitan when their capt. got a long term injury.

he used to play for Hale Barns.... well posh round there.

& his middle name is Nikodem

 

[bluebastardo]

Another good opening post.

There are quite a few players in our team capable of wearing the captains armband.
I can't help thinking that giving Jags the captaincy carries a little romance in the concept, even though I'm sure he is capable.
Having said that, we really do need to look to the future, as Nev won't always be a starter.

If we look at our potential leaders, Neville aside, we are left with Pienaar, Arteta, Saha, Distin, Jags, Heitinga, Yobo, Cahill, Howard, and Donovan.

Straight away, we can take out Donovan, as though he has the qualities, he isn't our player.

Howard, I'm not sure is in the best position to lead a team, and is also, despite many objections to the fact, not getting any younger. He does have good experience though, both with United and USA, and isn't scared to shout at his defence.

Cahill is too much a jack the lad to be captain, even though he is currently vice captain, and his form has been poor, so much that when our midfield are all fit, his starting place is under threat. He is also of the age that he is no longer part of our long term future, despite International experience, and brief captaincy spells at Everton.

Yobo has leadership experience, both with Everton and a little with Nigeria, and on form, is still a match for any of our defenders. However, his form has been patchy lately, and captains need to lead by example in many scenarios. He is still of the age though to be part of our immidiate and long term future, and is better than some of our fans would have others believe.

Distin is not part of our long term plans, and is another player who has been inconsistent this year. Don't get me wrong, most of our team have been inconsistent, but for me, his age is a stumbling block.

Arteta has led our team before, has a confident personality, and has the respect of the other players. He is part of our immidiate future, and young enough to still be considered long term.
He plays in a perfect position to lead the team, so should remain a contender for captain.

Pienaar, like Arteta, plays in a perfect part of the pitch to lead the team, and has International leadership experience, plus European experience from his pre-Everton days.
He has a get stuck in attitude, and is one of the players in our squad to maintain improvement in his game. Ajax academy history gives him good skills as a player, but is his heart with Everton?

Saha is highly capable of leading the team, though not always fit enough to maintain a starting place, or compete for 90 minutes. His current form is patchy, despite having a good goal tally and a great season, but his age, like others, dictates how long he will remain a blue, and despite his 2 year contract, I feel he may move on in the summer. Either way, he is not part of our long term plans.

Jags has had one good season, before luck ran out with his injury. I can understand many wanting to see him as captain, but I can't help but feel a little of this is romantic, due to his return after time out.
He has no experience of being captain, other than a brief spell when Sheffields Chris Morgan was absent, and has little more than 1 season in the Prem under his belt having been given his chance in Yobos absence.
He has still to prove himself in the current squad after a long term absence, and a large percentage of his mind will be on getting fit, and another will be on the World Cup. One for the future, and definitely in our long term plans, but possibly a little too early to be giving him the arm band.

Heitinga certainly looks the part at the moment. Like Pienaar, he came from the great emergence of Ajax academy players, and has European experience both with Ajax and Atletico Madrid. He has managed to keep a regular place at International level despite patchy form, and is up for the battle.
He's certainly part of our long term future, and has a few trophies in his locker too. He speaks at least 3 languages which always comes in handy, and like Jags is very versatile. Whether his recent arrival warrants captaincy is down to Moyes, but I don't see a problem myself.

So to summarize, in my opinion, our preferred captains, Neville aside, would be Pienaar, Arteta, and Heitinga, with Jags and Yobo hovering.
Pienaar needs to prove his heart remains with the club, so this makes me feel he drops slightly below Arteta and Heitinga in the pecking order.

We do need experience though, so can't dismiss our older players outright, as their captaincy qualities are still invaluable because of that experience.

However, if we must make a change, I would look at Arteta most of all, due to his long term relationship with the club, and experience of the Prem.

Yes, Jags has qualities, as do the others, but for me, it's too early for him yet.

Arteta for me. Heitinga Vice. Nev Club.

 

[best little spaniard]

You are joking about Jags right?


While he might not be the most proven leadership material, you cant say he hasn't proven himself in the prem.