I've read Dougal's match report and again it raises the question of the captaincy. A couple of things.

1. Does it matter. It's not like the captain actually does anything clever. I've read that Don Revie as Man City captain in the 1956 cup final changed the tactics on the pitch to turn the game around. Now that NEVER would be allowed now, that's what we've got amnagers and coaches for. What we all view as captain material is the natural leader, the Roy Keane, Bryan Robson, Billy Bremner, Dave Mackay type. Now these people all lead by example, getting in amongst the mud and bullets. They don't need a captains armband to prove it. At Newcastle it has always (?) been the senior player who is captain, this is to allow them to be the one to have the honour to go and collect the FA Cup from the royal box :0)

2. Aaron Hughes has taken absolutely everything that has been chucked at him at his time with us. Debuts in Barcelona, man to man marking of the likes of McManamanaman and Totti when still not 20 year old, having to get used to stacks of inept partners etc. The only thing missing from his game is the clenched fist driving on of his team mates. I think there is no way he will learn to do this (he's too nice) unless it is thrust upon him. It may well distract him from his defensive duties for a few games, but in the long run the benefit would be enormous. Long term the answer may well be a Caldwell but it'd be great if we could gild the lily that is Aaron Hughes.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Answers

I'm of the opinion that your either a leader or you're not, you can train your skills but you're never going to turn a Zola into a Wise or a Giggs into a Keane. Superb as Hughes is, it's not his natural character to be a captain and if that's not there by his age it never will be; currently Rio Ferdinand's the same and remember what Kevin Scott's captaincy was like. Caldwell, now he's a different lad altogether - he shouts and snarls and harries, he's got leadership potential for the future. Whoever replaces Goma and Marcelino as Hughes regular partner needs to have IT though.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

I agree MArtin, the replacement as Hughes' partner needs to be vocal a leader, who IMHO would take over the captaincy of the team and leave Shearer to be 'Club' captain.

Sheaer can still do the same as he does now but we would have a leader to marshall the defence and bollock the midfield if they are not tracking players.

Above all we need someone who can 'see' things on the pitch and not necessarily change naything but just make sure people are doing what they should be doing.

When does Shearer get the opportunity to do this, certainly not when he's attacking and when we haven't got he ball, we're defending so he can't make any adjustments.

A central defender has a bit more time when play is up the field to communicate with the defensive players or at least get a message across through someone else.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Robson stated as much before Xmas about the need for vocal players and the personnel hasn't changed so how can it be any different. There is a real case for Caldwell's inclusion on a more regualr basis to see how he will develop, even if it has to be at the expense of Hughes.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Aaron has been trying to organise the defence for set pieces recently and I noted against Leeds that he was the only player who congratulated Shay for that save in the first half and who ran the length of the pitch to hug Shola. He also genuinely appears to love the club and let's face it, more than any other first team player, is NUFC through and through because he hasn't played anywhere else (apart from Lisburn Youth or whatever it was). These are big criteria for the captaincy. He also captained his NI Under 21 sides. He isn't shouty and I think he's just so happy and surprised at the way things have turned out for him that he may never be shouty. I think he is a bit intimidated by Shearer and wouldn't presume to step on his toes. He said in his True Faith interview that if he did become captain, it would be years in the futture because Alan Shearer is blah blah blah.. I would love to see him captaining the Toon, though.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Besides, go on admit it, you fancy him!

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

To whom were you addressing that comment, Screach? If it was to me, what do you take me for? Some sort of Zoe? NB, Who was it who asked a woman whether she'd sleep with him for a £1000, she said "yes". He then asked her whether she'd sleep with him for £1 and she said "No, what do you take me for?". He said "Madam, we have already established what you are. I am merely querying the price". Sounds very Oscar Wilde but he didn't like girls much..

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Sounds liek Groucho to me

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Dougal, whtever gave you that impression? ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Cheek. Seriously, quite surprised at relativeky few views on captaincy bearing in mind the apparent consensus that it shouldn't go to Shearer.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Maybe cause we don't have a clear-cut candidate at this stage? Lee/Barton/Speed/Shearer aren't it for various reasons, Hughes has potential but perhaps will take a few years to get over his youthful awe of the senior players and feel like he can boss them around, Caldwell has no problems telling folks what to do but isn't deemed ready for regular first team play yet.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

I don't believe we need a captain as such. Someone to toss the coin or call heads? What we do need is a defence organiser and a smattering of influential players who take on responsibiliy for geeing players up... or in the best case we have self-motivated players. Captains are a thing of the past. An honorary position so I'd give it to the longest serving player... it makes no difference.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

dougal,

Hughes doesn't captain the NI U21's. He's been in the full national team since he was 18.

However Gary (the younger) Caldwell has captained his country at U.15, U.16 and U.18 level.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

How old is Gary Caldwell now? Do any of our reserve watchers back up the claims that he's the better of the two?

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

Oh bugger it. Sell any one in the defence that wasn't born in the British Isles, Buy Southgate and bring through the Caldwells.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

I didn't say he does captain them, I said he did captain them and he has played a number of U21s while also having been called up for full squad. Not unlike LKD. I promise you, he HAS captained the NI U21s. Go to http://www.norniron.co.uk for more info.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

I didn't say he does captain them, I said he did captain them and he has played a number of U21s while also having been called up for full squad. Not unlike LKD and England. I promise you, he HAS captained the NI U21s. Go to http://www.norniron.co.uk for more info.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

Oops! My Bad!

Apologises profusely.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

No, don't apologise. My response looked a bit stroppy there - not my intention, I was on phone at same time :))

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

Hey, did you hear (read) me say the S word? ;-}

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001