New Captain? (Gary Sawyer - confirmed)

[Tugboat]

Not Sarcevic or Carey.

It’s needs to be a commanding CB or vocal CM. Preferably a holding midfielder that can link play and dictate the movement organising people.

 

[Argylegames]

I would expect one of the most experienced players who DA expects to play in most of the games would be given the armband. I wouldn't be surprised if Sawyer is made club captain.

 

[damon.green]

I reckon it'll be Grant. No idea which one but I have three chances of being right...

 

[Glynn]

I would expect one of the most experienced players who DA expects to play in most of the games would be given the armband. I wouldn't be surprised if Sawyer is made club captain.

Totally agree, when I was told Sawyer was re-signing I was told he didn't expect to be starting LB so would imagine he'd be the club captain to support all the lads off the pitch etc.

I would think that Wootton has been signed to be first choice and is experienced in the championship making him a good captain but we could all be way off.

 

[Penlee]

DA is in no rush to name Sarce (he is still injured)

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/ ... er-1763557

 

[Cobi Budge]

Sarcevic for me, I’m baffled why but people for some reason don’t seem to see what a good leader he is.

 

[oldage]

He may be a good leader but he's injury prone.We need a captain who is likely to play most games

 

[Tomc1990]

I'd say fox

 

[xmastree]

Sarcevic for me, I’m baffled why but people for some reason don’t seem to see what a good leader he is.

It would have been nice if you had shared with us all the leadership criteria you see in Sarcevic, that so many others have failed to spot. I actually think it is, in most instances, very difficult for fans to identify who is the natural leader within a group.

The easiest thing for fans to spot is whether a player is vocal. Fans like a captain who is vocal (Paul Wotton an obvious example), because being loud is seen as being passionate - though it's often not the same thing. It's pointless shouting a lot, however, if your teammates don't take any notice of you. You have to have respect.

Respect is gained in all sorts of ways. There's respect for playing ability, respect for how you handle yourself amongst your peers on and off the field, respect for how you live your life away from the club. One aspect of gaining respect is how you cope with adversity - I'm sure Ryan Edwards has enormous respect from his teammates (as well of course the fanbase) in terms of coping with his illness. I also think Luke McCormick was respected for overcoming adversity, even though his adversity was of his own making.

Captain's can be senior pros, experienced men who have seen it all in lengthy careers who have gained their respect through longevity (McCormick, Sawyer, Fox perhaps). These men should certainly be leaders, but they are not automatically captain material, and don't necessarily want the armband. Captains can also be the best/most inspirational player (Carey within the current group), certainly respected for their ability, but sometimes it's better to let these guys do their stuff without being burdened with the extra responsibility. Captains can also be younger men, who the manager can see are respected despite their youth. I don't remember either Conor Hourihane or Curtis Nelson being particularly vocal at the start of their captaincy, but both grew into the job, and both captained their next club as well.

I don't know who will be our next captain. I don't even know if we need one - it may be that GA sticks with Sawyer for the moment and only makes a permanent decision when it's clear that Gary is no longer first choice. I'm sure however that DA will be studying the playing group on and off the field, and will recognise when potential leaders emerge.

As a final point, I think captaincy can be overrated. Most managers would say that they need several leaders on the field, and the more players you have that take responsibility the less important it is who actually wears the armband.

 

[jimsing]

Didn't I read somewhere that he allows the squad to select the captain?

 

[Penlee]

DA is running out of time to install Sarce as the new skipper. I wonder who else it might be? Stick with Sawyer?

 

[Steve Evans]

DA is running out of time to install Sarce as the new skipper. I wonder who else it might be? Stick with Sawyer?

perhaps jamie ness?

 

[Cobi Budge]

Would have gone with Sarcevic but that’s now unlikely for obvious reasons.

Imagine it’ll now be between Fox, Edwards & Wootton.

 

[Knibbsworth]

Sarcevic for me, I’m baffled why but people for some reason don’t seem to see what a good leader he is.

It would have been nice if you had shared with us all the leadership criteria you see in Sarcevic, that so many others have failed to spot. I actually think it is, in most instances, very difficult for fans to identify who is the natural leader within a group.

The easiest thing for fans to spot is whether a player is vocal. Fans like a captain who is vocal (Paul Wotton an obvious example), because being loud is seen as being passionate - though it's often not the same thing. It's pointless shouting a lot, however, if your teammates don't take any notice of you. You have to have respect.

Respect is gained in all sorts of ways. There's respect for playing ability, respect for how you handle yourself amongst your peers on and off the field, respect for how you live your life away from the club. One aspect of gaining respect is how you cope with adversity - I'm sure Ryan Edwards has enormous respect from his teammates (as well of course the fanbase) in terms of coping with his illness. I also think Luke McCormick was respected for overcoming adversity, even though his adversity was of his own making.

Captain's can be senior pros, experienced men who have seen it all in lengthy careers who have gained their respect through longevity (McCormick, Sawyer, Fox perhaps). These men should certainly be leaders, but they are not automatically captain material, and don't necessarily want the armband. Captains can also be the best/most inspirational player (Carey within the current group), certainly respected for their ability, but sometimes it's better to let these guys do their stuff without being burdened with the extra responsibility. Captains can also be younger men, who the manager can see are respected despite their youth. I don't remember either Conor Hourihane or Curtis Nelson being particularly vocal at the start of their captaincy, but both grew into the job, and both captained their next club as well.

I don't know who will be our next captain. I don't even know if we need one - it may be that GA sticks with Sawyer for the moment and only makes a permanent decision when it's clear that Gary is no longer first choice. I'm sure however that DA will be studying the playing group on and off the field, and will recognise when potential leaders emerge.

As a final point, I think captaincy can be overrated. Most managers would say that they need several leaders on the field, and the more players you have that take responsibility the less important it is who actually wears the armband.

Superb post. Nothing irritates me more than reading fans from the stands decide who should be next captain. Unless you are in and around the players, you will not know who the natural leaders are. Anyone can point, shout and be vocal. I've played in teams before when a new player shows up and does the Graeme Sounness act yelling at others what to do with the ball and looking the confident alpha character they want to appear as, yet no-one else in the team respects them, likes them, or appreciates being yelled at by a new face. As the above post mentions, respect has to be earned and then held.

Andy Cole said Roy Keane was a superb captain. Not because he was aggressive, stuck up for his teammates in confrontations, wanted to fight Patrick Vieira or any of the nonsense that fans react to. He said Keane would offer to sit in on contract negotiations with the young players, make sure the senior players were happy with their terms and bonuses, and had every player's back when in hot water with Ferguson or in contract discussions with the club. He wasn't involved in the cliques, in the Class of '92, his hair, advertising deals, media image, and didn't have a gang of sidekicks who influenced him. He was fair to everyone in the dressing room and respected by all. And the first person any of them confided in or turned to when they had a problem.

There's a lot more to being a captain than shouting at the back line to get up, or telling who is marking who at a corner. Any muppet or poser can do that, a captain of true pedigree is harder to spot.

 

[Penlee]

Announced tomorrow (Fri)