What do you want from a Captain

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During the week,
Someone that the players feel they can go to whenever they are having problems either within the football world or their personal lives. A person who will listen and support them but not just nurse them in any way. Someone who will be part of the team but also be able to keep a 'distance' from the others that signifies his position as Captain and thereby earns (not demands) their respect.
A liaison officer between players and manager. Somebody who can have a 'quiet word' with the boss and keep him up to date with the current dressing room atmosphere and hopefully prevent any brewing problems from developing.
Match Day
Somebody who leads by example, gives 100% effort and is constantly communicating with his team, encouraging, advising and if necessary berating. He will be either your worst critic or greatest admirer depending on your performance, and no-one will be spared or regarded as a favourite. A warrior who has the words Spurs running through him like a stick of rock. Somebody the squad members aspire to be and are proud to run onto the pitch with. A leader of men.
Half Time
Somebody who has grafted his balls off for 45 minutes and has every right to look a player in the eye and demand to know why he hasn't. The person who with a simple "Well done" can lift your spirits and make you feel like a king because 'he' said it to you. The person, who after the manager's talk, is the first to the dressing room door, eager to get back on the pitch and show the opposition what he is capable of. The players follow him out not because they have to but for the fact that he is their leader and they will run through brick walls for him.

Now trust me, that isn't Hugo and I don't blame him for it but we need a true Captain, in every sense of the word. The best we have at the moment is Harry but that does not mean in the future he should be the natural choice. True leaders tend to simple evolve (Anybody ever read The Admirable Crichton ?). Giving somebody an armband as a thank you or a 'please stay at the club' award will never work and can do more harm than good. It has to be earned and worn with pride. The manager should be able to see this character development and make the right choice and never,ever hold a 'players vote' to determine the Captain (Xhaka at the Woolwich...really ?? :thumbdown: :thumbdown:).

So they are big boots to fill and most importantly you have to truly want the job, and not just be given it.
So who do you see in the team as a natural born leader at the moment ? Or maybe that's what is missing and should be first on the January shopping list :thumbup:
 
stevee said:
What do we want or indeed need, from a Captain, any Captain.

Following on from the BM match, although IMO Hugo wasn't at fault for the goals, his attitude towards the other players wasn't good enough.
In the Hugo thread people were, quite rightly, criticising him for not being more passionate and bollocking the defenders. Some people want Harry to be Captain but he doesn't bollock people either, although he does put everything on the line.

That being said I don't want this to become a "Who should be Captain" discussion but, as the title says, What do you want from a Captain.

I'm old school and want a shouty, bollocking, organising Captain.

Although, in the modern game a Captain is mostly an "honourary" title and doesn't affect how the game plays out (with regards to tactics)

So what do we think ?
Click to expand...
This thread should really be in the Tottenham Hotspur grouping and not General Football my friend as it just concerns the club. Maybe the very kind Admin Admin will move it over :thumbup:
 
stevee said:
What do we want or indeed need, from a Captain, any Captain.

Following on from the BM match, although IMO Hugo wasn't at fault for the goals, his attitude towards the other players wasn't good enough.
In the Hugo thread people were, quite rightly, criticising him for not being more passionate and bollocking the defenders. Some people want Harry to be Captain but he doesn't bollock people either, although he does put everything on the line.

That being said I don't want this to become a "Who should be Captain" discussion but, as the title says, What do you want from a Captain.

I'm old school and want a shouty, bollocking, organising Captain.

Although, in the modern game a Captain is mostly an "honourary" title and doesn't affect how the game plays out (with regards to tactics)

So what do we think ?
Click to expand...

The captain must embody everything but should also represent the best qualities of a team.

The heart and soul. The strength. The message carrier.

It ain't Lloris that's for sure.

At least not in my opinion.
 
Based on the current squad, it’s Kane all day long. While he may not be running after balls as frantically as he once was, as I reckon the manager has given him strict instructions not too based on his injury record, he is the natural leader of this team. Anytime a ref calls over a Spurs player, he’s there with them talking to him and calming him down as required. He’s as cool as cucumber with penalties which says a lot to his temperament and demeanour. Lastly, he is a true Spurs player who I believe will stay here for his whole career.

In the ideal world, I always felt the ideal position for a team captain is centre mid or centre back. From there they can dictate the game far more than the goalie, striker or wings and can communicate to more of the team then the fringe players. Kane won’t be shouting back at his defence and Lloris won’t be shouting front to the attackers but I guess that’s why they’re captain and vice captain, between them they can influence the whole field.

On a side note, I’d love a Roy Keane in our team right about now.
 
Borodin55 said:
During the week,
Someone that the players feel they can go to whenever they are having problems either within the football world or their personal lives. A person who will listen and support them but not just nurse them in any way. Someone who will be part of the team but also be able to keep a 'distance' from the others that signifies his position as Captain and thereby earns (not demands) their respect.
A liaison officer between players and manager. Somebody who can have a 'quiet word' with the boss and keep him up to date with the current dressing room atmosphere and hopefully prevent any brewing problems from developing.
Match Day
Somebody who leads by example, gives 100% effort and is constantly communicating with his team, encouraging, advising and if necessary berating. He will be either your worst critic or greatest admirer depending on your performance, and no-one will be spared or regarded as a favourite. A warrior who has the words Spurs running through him like a stick of rock. Somebody the squad members aspire to be and are proud to run onto the pitch with. A leader of men.
Half Time
Somebody who has grafted his balls off for 45 minutes and has every right to look a player in the eye and demand to know why he hasn't. The person who with a simple "Well done" can lift your spirits and make you feel like a king because 'he' said it to you. The person, who after the manager's talk, is the first to the dressing room door, eager to get back on the pitch and show the opposition what he is capable of. The players follow him out not because they have to but for the fact that he is their leader and they will run through brick walls for him.

Now trust me, that isn't Hugo and I don't blame him for it but we need a true Captain, in every sense of the word. The best we have at the moment is Harry but that does not mean in the future he should be the natural choice. True leaders tend to simple evolve (Anybody ever read The Admirable Crichton ?). Giving somebody an armband as a thank you or a 'please stay at the club' award will never work and can do more harm than good. It has to be earned and worn with pride. The manager should be able to see this character development and make the right choice and never,ever hold a 'players vote' to determine the Captain (Xhaka at the Woolwich...really ?? :thumbdown: :thumbdown:).

So they are big boots to fill and most importantly you have to truly want the job, and not just be given it.
So who do you see in the team as a natural born leader at the moment ? Or maybe that's what is missing and should be first on the January shopping list :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Christian Eriksen.
 
Someone who doesn't smirk like an evil jester when conceding 7 goals at home. For starters.

In reality a new captain won't fix it. Rather we need a new captaincy potential player in CB and one more in CM.

The captaincy itself belongs to Kane, none other.
 
james-kirk-main.jpg
 
Captaincy in football has always been overrated.

If you've got to a point in your career where you are one of the best 0.000001% of footballers on the planet, as Prem footballers are, ''a captain'' is not going to make you play any more or less well.

It's a fallacy that good captains are those that are vocal and angry. Not everyone reacts the same way to certain things.

They are there to be a figurehead and call a coin toss. That is it.

The best thing a captain can generally say to their team is to calm down. A dressing down on the pitch in front of every one never ever works.

Anyone who has played any kind of decent level sport can count on one hand the times a captain or a team talk has made any difference to their standard of play. If you need that to perform, odds are you never made it to such a level.
 
Spursdem said:
Captaincy in football has always been overrated.

If you've got to a point in your career where you are one of the best 0.000001% of footballers on the planet, as Prem footballers are, ''a captain'' is not going to make you play any more or less well.

It's a fallacy that good captains are those that are vocal and angry. Not everyone reacts the same way to certain things.

They are there to be a figurehead and call a coin toss. That is it.

The best thing a captain can generally say to their team is to calm down. A dressing down on the pitch in front of every one never ever works.

Anyone who has played any kind of decent level sport can count on one hand the times a captain or a team talk has made any difference to their standard of play. If you need that to perform, odds are you never made it to such a level.
Click to expand...
100%, it's barely relevant in Spain. A club might have three (Madrid, only one wearing an armband at any time, obviously), it might be the most iconic player (a teenage Torres at Atleti back in the day) or just the player who's been at the club the longest. It's a symbolic thing, little more.

I once read an interview with Xavi where he said that beyond the armband, the role of captain on the pitch - the things people are mentioning here - was an organic thing both at Barcelona and in the national team. It was something that people took upon themselves when the spirit moved them and any point there might be a defender being a captain for those around him and another doing the same thing at the same time for those further up the field. In this sense, Harry already plays that role
 
Borodin55 said:
During the week,
Someone that the players feel they can go to whenever they are having problems either within the football world or their personal lives. A person who will listen and support them but not just nurse them in any way. Someone who will be part of the team but also be able to keep a 'distance' from the others that signifies his position as Captain and thereby earns (not demands) their respect.
A liaison officer between players and manager. Somebody who can have a 'quiet word' with the boss and keep him up to date with the current dressing room atmosphere and hopefully prevent any brewing problems from developing.
Match Day
Somebody who leads by example, gives 100% effort and is constantly communicating with his team, encouraging, advising and if necessary berating. He will be either your worst critic or greatest admirer depending on your performance, and no-one will be spared or regarded as a favourite. A warrior who has the words Spurs running through him like a stick of rock. Somebody the squad members aspire to be and are proud to run onto the pitch with. A leader of men.
Half Time
Somebody who has grafted his balls off for 45 minutes and has every right to look a player in the eye and demand to know why he hasn't. The person who with a simple "Well done" can lift your spirits and make you feel like a king because 'he' said it to you. The person, who after the manager's talk, is the first to the dressing room door, eager to get back on the pitch and show the opposition what he is capable of. The players follow him out not because they have to but for the fact that he is their leader and they will run through brick walls for him.

Now trust me, that isn't Hugo and I don't blame him for it but we need a true Captain, in every sense of the word. The best we have at the moment is Harry but that does not mean in the future he should be the natural choice. True leaders tend to simple evolve (Anybody ever read The Admirable Crichton ?). Giving somebody an armband as a thank you or a 'please stay at the club' award will never work and can do more harm than good. It has to be earned and worn with pride. The manager should be able to see this character development and make the right choice and never,ever hold a 'players vote' to determine the Captain (Xhaka at the Woolwich...really ?? :thumbdown: :thumbdown:).

So they are big boots to fill and most importantly you have to truly want the job, and not just be given it.
So who do you see in the team as a natural born leader at the moment ? Or maybe that's what is missing and should be first on the January shopping list :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Seriously how the fuck do you know Hugo doesn't do all that and more? Are you at the training ground, are you at their homes? Are you in the dressing room? (Have you ever been on a football pitch in front thousands of fans, if you have then you will know you can't hear the person standing next to you, let alone someone 15 feet away? But I suppose you love managers that bounce on the touchline too, because this is really, really important apparently, must do clappy things, must beat chest, must puff out chest in an exaggerated fashion because it shows you care, it shows that you have passun, it can be used on social media loads of times as examples of strong leadership LOL!!)

You don't seem to be aware that Lloris and Kane were voted Captain and Vice-Captain by their teammates along with the clubs management.

Now seeing as you know what goes on behind closed doors, please give me the examples of Kane doing this on Sat. He took the armband on 3 mins, so had in effect the entire game to demonstrate these things that you have said "now trust me" so time to show why we should "trust you" please nice and slowly break it down what did he do? How did we lose 0-3 to Brighton with Captain marvel wearing the armband? What was his speech at half-time? Who did he berate when the 2nd went in & then the third went in? Who did he put his arm around and encourage them, gave them confidence? When he fronted up in the press afterwards what did he say?

For the record: I think Kane is a good leader as I do Lloris and as I do with other players in the squad, not based on some hypothetical job description and equally worse subjective and frankly bullshit analysis of whether it's actually being performed or not based on nothing than guesswork.
 
I think I want a captain who has loads of experience and has already captained his side in a cl final and captained his side winning a world cup. Going to be hard to find one of these.
 
Guido said:
Seriously how the fuck do you know Hugo doesn't do all that and more? Are you at the training ground, are you at their homes? Are you in the dressing room? (Have you ever been on a football pitch in front thousands of fans, if you have then you will know you can't hear the person standing next to you, let alone someone 15 feet away? But I suppose you love managers that bounce on the touchline too, because this is really, really important apparently, must do clappy things, must beat chest, must puff out chest in an exaggerated fashion because it shows you care, it shows that you have passun, it can be used on social media loads of times as examples of strong leadership LOL!!)

You don't seem to be aware that Lloris and Kane were voted Captain and Vice-Captain by their teammates along with the clubs management.

Now seeing as you know what goes on behind closed doors, please give me the examples of Kane doing this on Sat. He took the armband on 3 mins, so had in effect the entire game to demonstrate these things that you have said "now trust me" so time to show why we should "trust you" please nice and slowly break it down what did he do? How did we lose 0-3 to Brighton with Captain marvel wearing the armband? What was his speech at half-time? Who did he berate when the 2nd went in & then the third went in? Who did he put his arm around and encourage them, gave them confidence? When he fronted up in the press afterwards what did he say?

For the record: I think Kane is a good leader as I do Lloris and as I do with other players in the squad, not based on some hypothetical job description and equally worse subjective and frankly bullshit analysis of whether it's actually being performed or not based on nothing than guesswork.
Click to expand...
Very true, all guesswork and opinion...never said otherwise. No I don't want a 'bouncy' manager, just a new one will do.
 
I don't think captains necessarily have a responsibility that other players can't also assume on the field.

A team needs more than one player who leads by example and can communicate effectively with other players. Both of these are more difficult when you're a goalkeeper because you have more detached from the players than anyone else.

I've always thought having a goalkeeper as captain is a bad choice.

I also think managers often appear to give the captaincy to players to soothe their ego rather than because they're the best person for the role.

We need an outfield player as captain and Kane would be my choice.
 
Borodin55 said:
Very true, all guesswork and opinion...never said otherwise. No I don't want a 'bouncy' manager, just a new one will do.
Click to expand...
But there has to be an actual reason, evidence of what you want or don't want, not guesswork. Outside of just guesswork, you've given nothing and the guy you want didn't show (based on the same basis you judge Lloris) anything too, in fact, worse, he didn't even front up to the cameras afterwards as Lloris does.
 
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