Sport's Greatest Captain

[rfgqqabc]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

I'm glad you mentioned Vaughan, I wasn't sure whether it was young man's bias that he came to mind.

[mondatoo]

Immediately thought of Martin Johnson when I saw the title to this thread, and I'm not even keen on the sport.

Same.

[The Camel]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

[buzzharvey22]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Its one of those jobs that you aim to complete without making a mistake. IE not playing Phil and Tiger together, and not leaving out Spieth and Reid when their on fire.

My two penneth worth, not strictly a captain, but somebody who carried a nation, Richard Hadlee for New Zealand. AbsolutlY carried one of the weakest cricketing nations to the point where they could compete with the great West Indian side. One of the greatest bowlers ever who also had a very handy batting average.

[tikay]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Not sure I agree with that Mr Camel - I think Ryder Cup captaincy is more about people skills, man-management, motivational abilities. Having said all that, Monty captained a winning Ryder Cup team. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Anyway, I can't have Ryder Cup Captaincy as a candidate. Martin Johnson remains the standout nomination, imo. It scared me just looking at him. I met him once, & in real life, he is three times bigger & twice as ugly. Don't mess, it's not a tickling competition, we win World Cups.   

[The Camel]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Not sure I agree with that Mr Camel - I think Ryder Cup captaincy is more about people skills, man-management, motivational abilities. Having said all that, Monty captained a winning Ryder Cup team. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Anyway, I can't have Ryder Cup Captaincy as a candidate. Martin Johnson remains the standout nomination, imo. It scared me just looking at him. I met him once, & in real life, he is three times bigger & twice as ugly. Don't mess, it's not a tickling competition, we win World Cups.   

Motivational skills???!?!?

The best golfers in the world playing the most important tournament of the year don't need motivating do they?

[tikay]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Not sure I agree with that Mr Camel - I think Ryder Cup captaincy is more about people skills, man-management, motivational abilities. Having said all that, Monty captained a winning Ryder Cup team. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Anyway, I can't have Ryder Cup Captaincy as a candidate. Martin Johnson remains the standout nomination, imo. It scared me just looking at him. I met him once, & in real life, he is three times bigger & twice as ugly. Don't mess, it's not a tickling competition, we win World Cups.   

Motivational skills???!?!?

The best golfers in the world playing the most important tournament of the year don't need motivating do they?

They do, yes. It's far from "the most important Tournament" to many of them. They are motivated by money, lots & lots of it.

[arbboy]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Not sure I agree with that Mr Camel - I think Ryder Cup captaincy is more about people skills, man-management, motivational abilities. Having said all that, Monty captained a winning Ryder Cup team. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Anyway, I can't have Ryder Cup Captaincy as a candidate. Martin Johnson remains the standout nomination, imo. It scared me just looking at him. I met him once, & in real life, he is three times bigger & twice as ugly. Don't mess, it's not a tickling competition, we win World Cups.   

Motivational skills???!?!?

The best golfers in the world playing the most important tournament of the year don't need motivating do they?

They do, yes. It's far from "the most important Tournament" to many of them. They are motivated by money, lots & lots of it.

I always get the impression it means much more to the Euro's than the Yanks in the last few renewals.  Pretty sure half the yanks wouldn't be that bothered about playing if they didn't lose sponsorship/goodwill from not turning up.

[The Camel]

I think I've said this before, but captaincy skills are way overrated in all sports except cricket.

To compare any football captain with Brearly, Vaughan, Ponting, Lloyd or Richards is ridiculous.

Ryder Cup captaincy?
Although it's just a term really. RC captaincy is more a management role than an on field captaincy role, I guess?

I think Ryder Cup capataincy is over rated too, but it isn't really captaincy anyway.

How difficult is it to pick fourball and foursome teams from the best 12 golfers on your tour.

Just avoid picking two blokes togther who want to rip each other heads off (ie don't pair Mickelson and Tiger), pick players who are steady and don't hit it OOB much for foursomes and great birdie makers for fourballs.

It ain't rocket science.

Not sure I agree with that Mr Camel - I think Ryder Cup captaincy is more about people skills, man-management, motivational abilities. Having said all that, Monty captained a winning Ryder Cup team. Stranger things have happened, but not much.

Anyway, I can't have Ryder Cup Captaincy as a candidate. Martin Johnson remains the standout nomination, imo. It scared me just looking at him. I met him once, & in real life, he is three times bigger & twice as ugly. Don't mess, it's not a tickling competition, we win World Cups.   

Motivational skills???!?!?

The best golfers in the world playing the most important tournament of the year don't need motivating do they?

They do, yes. It's far from "the most important Tournament" to many of them. They are motivated by money, lots & lots of it.

I always get the impression it means much more to the Euro's than the Yanks in the last few renewals.  Pretty sure half the yanks wouldn't be that bothered about playing if they didn't lose sponsorship/goodwill from not turning up.

Probably a major factor in Europe winning all the time.

[Rubbish2407]

Going back to Tighty's good captain's on shit teams i always thought Naseer and Atherton were two really good captains who just had no talent on their respective test teams at the time.

Martin Johnson though is the pick for me (the coach was a big part of the plan as well).  They had no business rocking up on the other side of the world and winning that world cup with the sqaud they had talent wise.  Johnson and Woodward literally got every player in that squad to perform to their max for the 2 years leading up to that WC and squeezed every ounce of effort/talent out of every player.  Woodward changed the whole training culture around Rugby from the sport turning pro and Johnson is/was a huge fan of NFL training methods to give his team relatively large training advances over their rivals.  Johnson would have been in no part hugely responsible for 'selling' these new training techniques/nutrition etc to 'old school rugby players' used to training twice a week after work and having a few pints a few times a week on top.

I'm not sure if this is a wind up?
Dallaglio, Back and Hill were the best back row unit in the World at the time. Johnson the best second rower. Leonard, Vickery and Thompson were a tough front row. Dawson and Wilkinson were as good as anybody. Robinson on the wing. Jeez, no talent?

Best Captain. One word.

Click to see full-size image.

[Knottikay]

Going back to Tighty's good captain's on shit teams i always thought Naseer and Atherton were two really good captains who just had no talent on their respective test teams at the time.

Martin Johnson though is the pick for me (the coach was a big part of the plan as well).  They had no business rocking up on the other side of the world and winning that world cup with the sqaud they had talent wise.  Johnson and Woodward literally got every player in that squad to perform to their max for the 2 years leading up to that WC and squeezed every ounce of effort/talent out of every player.  Woodward changed the whole training culture around Rugby from the sport turning pro and Johnson is/was a huge fan of NFL training methods to give his team relatively large training advances over their rivals.  Johnson would have been in no part hugely responsible for 'selling' these new training techniques/nutrition etc to 'old school rugby players' used to training twice a week after work and having a few pints a few times a week on top.

I'm not sure if this is a wind up?
Dallaglio, Back and Hill were the best back row unit in the World at the time. Johnson the best second rower. Leonard, Vickery and Thompson were a tough front row. Dawson and Wilkinson were as good as anybody. Robinson on the wing. Jeez, no talent?

Best Captain. One word.

Click to see full-size image.

Cheat?

[HutchGF]

Going back to Tighty's good captain's on shit teams i always thought Naseer and Atherton were two really good captains who just had no talent on their respective test teams at the time.

Martin Johnson though is the pick for me (the coach was a big part of the plan as well).  They had no business rocking up on the other side of the world and winning that world cup with the sqaud they had talent wise.  Johnson and Woodward literally got every player in that squad to perform to their max for the 2 years leading up to that WC and squeezed every ounce of effort/talent out of every player.  Woodward changed the whole training culture around Rugby from the sport turning pro and Johnson is/was a huge fan of NFL training methods to give his team relatively large training advances over their rivals.  Johnson would have been in no part hugely responsible for 'selling' these new training techniques/nutrition etc to 'old school rugby players' used to training twice a week after work and having a few pints a few times a week on top.

I'm not sure if this is a wind up?
Dallaglio, Back and Hill were the best back row unit in the World at the time. Johnson the best second rower. Leonard, Vickery and Thompson were a tough front row. Dawson and Wilkinson were as good as anybody. Robinson on the wing. Jeez, no talent?

Best Captain. One word.

Click to see full-size image.

Cheat?

I was thinking of another word that began with 'c' and ended in 't'.

[vegaslover]

Don't know too much about Rugby Union, but in his pomp, during the 2003 (?) World Cup, this man seemed to be a wonderful inspiration, & a man who led from the front. He did everything specified in Tal's opening para.

Click to see full-size image.

First person I thought about. Don't think anyone else would have led an England pack, missing 2 men, to hold off the All Blacks

[vegaslover]

Would also put Chris Adams, when he was at Sussex up there. Revolutionised them as a team and led to consistent success

[Supernova]

Brearley was my first thought when i saw this thread.

Another that hasn't been mentioned is Clive Rice.

I cannot think of another sport, where captaincy plays such a big part in tactics during a game.