22 Jul 2020 05:57:00
Hi Ed01.

Not Liverpool related at all. Would like to ask your opinion on having strikers/ forwards as a captain of a team. What's your take of the idea, generally?

My thinking isn't based on knowledge at all, but I feel forwards are not suited to be a captain solely because of the role/ position they are playing. Maybe a midfield (not attacking but central, or defensive) or a defender is better.

Watched a few games of teams that are having strikers as their captain. Recently was last night's game; Aubameyang. I couldn't see much of him leading others, though he did fall back on numerous occasions to help with the defense. The other was Deeney, which I felt similar as well.

Thanks Ed01.

{Ed001's Note - I don't like it as a general rule, though I think Deeney's case is a special one as he is very much the team leader. Imo it should be a centre-back, who can see all the play in front of him or central midfielder, who is right in the middle of it all and can drive the team on.

Aubameyang has been given it because he is a bit of a knob and they are trying to keep him in check. Terrible choice as he is no leader. He contributes nothing to the team unless scoring goals. Kane is a bit better, when he gets over his golden boot obsession he is a decent leader, but he just plays in the wrong place to be the best choice. The problem is that being a good striker requires selfishness, being a good leader requires the exact opposite.}


1.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 08:58:52
Appreciate it, Ed01.

{Ed001's Note - welcome mate.}


2.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 10:09:31
Interesting input Ed001.

Who would you rate as the top football captains of all time? Not necessarily in terms of their football ability, but in terms of their leadership?

Red Sandman.

{Ed001's Note - oh god that's difficult! In the old days there were so many, they have become rarer over the years as players have become more and more idolised and self-centred. The likes of Steve Bruce when he was at Man Utd would have to be in there though.}


3.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 10:24:26
Very good way of putting it Ed1.

{Ed001's Note - cheers mate.}


4.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 11:56:16
In fairness Bruce was a excellent captain.


5.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 11:55:13
Being a good striker requires selfishness. Being a good leader requires selflessness. Sorry Ed01, I just had to put my two cents worth on that beautiful quote of yours.

{Ed001's Note - that is the better way of saying it.}


6.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 12:10:17
John Terry, Roy Keane, kompany, Tony Adams for me were the best leaders in terms of captain ability in the premier league, Jordan Henderson this year has proved he has that trait but needs to sustain that role for a few more years to match the others for premier league era best captains.


7.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 12:29:45
I can remember being at Highbury on a free ticket and my older bro telling me about Adams and when he spoke to the whole ground could hear him, as a young lad with footballing aspirations myself it was amazing to see. Took that on in my later years of playing and coaching the youth teams. Be heard but be constructive.


8.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 13:46:50
Where would you rank Stevie G in the list of great captains, Ed001?

He certainly inspired others, but he did seem to have a selfish side to him (always taking long shots, stories of him and Carra wanting input into transfers and team selection etc. )

Red Sandman.

{Ed001's Note - I wouldn't have him down as a great captain. He drove players away, influenced team selection and transfer policy in a negative way, all stuff a great captain shouldn't do. He was a good captain but no more than that. Great players are not always the best choice for a captain's role.}


9.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 13:54:49
Carragher would have been a better captain than Gerrard.


10.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 14:52:05
I'm not so sure. the spitting incident turned me off. Ed, do you know what carragher is like off the field?

{Ed001's Note - I only know what he was like in the earlier days of his time. His family are from the next street and that like, but I didn't really know them, but my great-uncle sometimes drank in their pub after it stopped being a bluenose place. He always seemed a nice lad on those times I spoke to him in Sullys though and was very happy to talk footie for hours.

He probably would have been a better on-field captain than Gerrard, in a lot of ways he did do the shouting and talking Gerrard probably should have but he was far too deferential to Gerrard off the pitch. The pair of them were too pally and created a clique that should not have existed. They made it a bit too much them and others at times. I am not convinced either of them were the right man because of that. A captain needs to be able to put his personal feelings aside and act for the good of the team, Carragher was probably a bit too emotional to do that. He would react to circumstances far too irrationally, such as throwing the coin back at Arsenal.}


11.) 22 Jul 2020
22 Jul 2020 18:34:20
I liked hypia as captain. And I think Henderson has to be considered. Its his mentality that makes him such a great player and captain.