What makes the perfect captain?
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30 Aug 2013 08:00:00
Don Goodman, Luther Blissett, Mark
Bright and Viv Anderson talk to Goal
regarding the changing attributes of a
skipper and the skills required to wear
the armband
'Captain'. A small word with big
responsibilities.
But what makes a good captain?
Experience? Leadership? Motivation?
Respect?
Some managers look to players who have
been there and done it (and, possibly,
own a t-shirt proclaiming as such).
Nemanja Vidic was selected by Sir Alex
Ferguson, the most successful manager in
the history of English football, due to his
ability to marshal a defence with his
domineering approach; both physically
and vocally.
Paolo Di Canio, for example, has
appointed John O’Shea as Sunderland
captain.
The 32-year-old’s experience at Old
Trafford, and the 15 honours collected
during his time there, is hoped to stand
him in good stead at the Stadium of Light.
Aston Villa wasted no time in making Ron
Vlaar skipper upon his arrival at the club.
The centre-back’s time at Feyenoord,
competing at the top of Eredivisie, was
viewed as more reliable then previous
incumbent Darren Bent.
Fabio Capello famously resigned from his
post as England manager when John Terry
was stripped as captain by the Football
Association in February 2012. Which begs
the question, should so much importance
be placed on the armband?
"Yes, I think so," Don Goodman - who has
over 600 appearances in British football
under his belt - told Goal .
"Captains have lots of different
responsibilities. Not just winning the toss,
but on and off the pitch. They're
responsible for running the plan on the
pitch - the manager's conductor if you
like.
"Leadership on and off the pitch [is the
most important quality as a captain]. Set
an example. Motivate your players. Try to
teach good habits. The best captain is a
model of consistency on the pitch."
"Sam Ellis of Watford," Luther Blissett
replied when asked who the most
impressive captain he played under was.
"He was very intelligent and had a really
good command of everyone. He wasn't
young but the experience he had and the
way he imparted it. He also really cared
for us younger players, we looked up to
him."
Adam Lallana, of Southampton, and Ryan
Shawcross, of Stoke City, are the two
youngest skippers in the Premier League.
The Saints leader has risen through the
ranks at St Mary’s, with his apparent
loyalty being rewarded by both Nigel
Adkins and Mauricio Pochettino, while
Shawcross has racked up nearly 250
appearances in seven seasons – missing
just five outings since 2010-11.
But Mark Bright feels the natural leaders
of previous generations are a thing of the
past, with a change in tactical approach
forcing differing requirements on the
pitch.
"The Premier League used to be very
aggressive, it’s more tactical and technical
now so the Terry Butchers and the Tony
Adams figures are gone," Bright added.
"John Terry really does lead the team,
you can see on the pitch how vocal he is."
So, surely, a modern-day captain must
boast a little bit of everything.
One of the most high-profile examples of
an all-encompassing performance was
Steven Gerrard's for Liverpool in the
2005 Champions League final.
"The qualities of a good captain is that he
leads by example, and has the ability to
make people around them perform when
things are not going well on the pitch,"
Viv Anderson added.
Gerrard headed home the Reds' first goal
to start a stunning three-goal comeback
to eventually clinch the trophy after a
penalty shootout, literally grabbing the
ball and urging his team-mates and those
in the stands with his celebrations.
I leave the last word to Blissett:
"Captains have to be a good
communicator and that doesn't mean
someone who rants and raves, shouts and
stomps. It's someone who says what they
need to, when they need to, to whom
they need to. And sometimes that can be
a quiet word in someone's ear."
POLL OF THE DAY
TOP VOTE
32.8%
What is the key characteristic for a
captain?
15.9%
Experience
32.8%
Courage
24.6%
Teamwork
3.4%
Technical ability
22.7%
Loyalty
0.7%
What makes the perfect captain? - Goal.com - http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/5437/pcuk/2013/08/30/4220751/what-makes-the-perfect-captain


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