Is it the captains fault ?

[Gentleman Jim 0]

Re our first half performances;

Many have said that Worthy''s half time lectures spurs us on to greater heights hence the contrast in the two halves.

Well ideally if he were player manager he would be on their backs all the time, but obviously he isn''t going to be, so the Captain should be there being an extension to the bosses wants.

Which brings me to my point, is Drury fulfilling this task ? , he''s a great player and I wouldn''t swap him with anyone else, but is he pushy enough ? would we be better having Flem as captain for instance ?

 

 

[bananaman 0]

Funny you should say that. I have seen Flem bawl at a couple of players when HE made the mistake (ie Shouting at Charlton having let Shearer turn him easily) so I think perhaps not.But maybe Charlton could do the job. He ran half the length of the pitch to have a word in Bentley''s ear on Saturday (not that it did any good), and seems to have impressive composure.

[Meeky 0]

Well Malky was a great leader and very vocal as well. Adam seems to be too nice a chap to order people about or be very vocal, so Flem could be a good choice or even Charlton as he seems to be an organiser! Greeno could also do the job as he is always organising the defence, people say that keepers don''t make good captains, but that has been proved wrong through the years.

We seem to have the same problem at England level as well. Becks isn''t vocal enough and you can''t say that he has been leading by example just lately either.

[Mcsncfcmcs 0]

I suppose it''s hard for any of us to say really. But I''m sure that the experienced players like Flem and Hucks all say their piece anyway without needing to be captain. At the top level I think the role of captain is marginalised a touch because the players are good enough to know their jobs. At times you need someone to act as a leader of course, but just because Drury seems a quiet lad, that doesn''t mean that he doesn''t command the respect of his team mates and that''s the most important aspect of being captain at the top level. Just because some people can shout and get worked up, doesn''t make them better leaders of a team. Drury seems more the type to lead by example, encourage his team mates and to bring a calmness to the situation which is often not a bad thing, particularly with the amount of pressure playing in the Prem brings. When you need someone to stoke the fires then I''m sure Flem would be the first to act, especially as Club captain and that doesn''t undermine Adam in any way, it''s just a different approach from another respected player which can work every now and then. If you have a captain who''s constantly thumping the drum, it loses it''s impact, whereas having other players do it every now and then makes it more effective. I think having someone like Drury as captain and then having people like Flem to pipe up when needed makes for the best combination. Players don''t need to be bawled at and talked down to at this level. Maybe this is me showing my naiveity, but I doubt the lads need much encouragment to go out all guns blazing this season.

Lets face it, Drury didn''t do a bad job as captain last year did he?! People like Iwan and Malky were key parts of it as well and they will be missed. But Flem is still here and Charlton comes across as the sort of person who will lead from the front. People like Hucks and Edworthy have a lot of experience to pass on, and I wouldn''t be surprised if Doherty is the sort of person who has his say and gees up the team. Drury is consistantly playing well (THAT tackle on Kanoute would have done more to inspire his team mates than any rant) and that counts for a lot as a captain. It''s hard to have much authority if you are in and out of the team, or drop below par performance wise every couple of games. As far as I''m conerned he is doing a good job along with his team mates.

[Ayrton Twigge 0]

Would you die ior Drury?

Now repeat the question substituting Drury by, say,  Stuart Pearce, for example.

Thats where the difference is.

Who would be our version of Stuart Pearce?

Fleming for me.

[Brum Uni Canary 0]

When I saw the subject title, I thought it was about goals conceeded - Drury is culpable for at least 3 of the goals we have let in, whilst Holt is responsible for 2.

Back to the discussion....I agree with bananaman; Charlton would be a brilliant captain. He has the Premiership experience and is excellent at controlling the back line. Nobody else springs to mind as a suitable leader apart from Greeno, but I think that keepers shouldn''t be leading a team because they are too far out of the action. 

[NavMan 0]

Personally I do not think the Drury is verbal enough.  I remember seeing him last season in a match at home when the opposing side nearly scored and he turned round to Hux and almost apologetically asked him to track back as if he did not have the confidence to exert his authority for the fear of upsetting him.  I still believe that his game has suffered since his appointment of Captain with his best form being prior to the Captaincy with that weight off his shoulders.

[Rik 0]

All the Captain does on the pitch is lead the teams out and toss the coin. (Well basically!) Any player worth his salt encourages and urges his team mates himself. Hux was encouraging the players around him on his own, why should being Captain make him do it more? Likewise defenders organise and encourage each other regardless of who is Captain. If say Utd made Rooney Captain, Keane would still be scaring his own midfielders round the pitch.

Drury being Captain is more a nod to his professionalism, hard work and teamwork more than anything else. A Captain is seen like a promotion, or managers are in most jobs, having Drury there is a great example to others at the club. Be like him, be Captain etc.

[Ayrton Twigge 0]

Can''t agree with that Rik.

They''re reasons why Drury should be a prefect rather than a captain.

Even leading the team out should be a matter of extreme chest swelling pride for the captain - and determination by the rest of the team to play their gutts out for him. By your own admission you have relegated even that to a symbolic action followed by a bit of coin tossing.

I fear, however, you''re dead right on the reasons why Drury is captain. Its been bestowed as a token to his professionalism.

And I don''t think thats enough - you can recognise that in other ways.