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Our last decent captain?


warsash saint
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For all of JWP's attributes i don't think he makes a good captain - never see him trying to fire up the team.  It is something this Saints team has been lacking for many many years!

Got me thinking the last time he had captain that could really galvanise the team?  All the way back to Jimmy Case??? Surely we have had one since then?

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16 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

For all of JWP's attributes i don't think he makes a good captain - never see him trying to fire up the team.  It is something this Saints team has been lacking for many many years!

Got me thinking the last time he had captain that could really galvanise the team?  All the way back to Jimmy Case??? Surely we have had one since then?

I've been watching Saints since the 1960s and Jose Fonte is the best captain I've seen. He's also proved to be Lille's best ever captain.

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41 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

For all of JWP's attributes i don't think he makes a good captain - never see him trying to fire up the team.  It is something this Saints team has been lacking for many many years!

Got me thinking the last time he had captain that could really galvanise the team?  All the way back to Jimmy Case??? Surely we have had one since then?

Have thought the same for some time. As good as JWP is he doesn’t cut it as captain and on field leader for me, nor did Hojberg.

Can you imagine the lacklustre performances we’ve had, getting stuffed whilst players aimlessly mince about, with Alan Ball or Jimmy Case on the pitch ? Think they’d have got a bit more effort and organisation out of the others. 
 

Either of those two, although Fonte was probably as good as you’ll see in modern times. 
 

 

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29 minutes ago, Nordic Saint said:

I've been watching Saints since the 1960s and Jose Fonte is the best captain I've seen. He's also proved to be Lille's best ever captain.

Really ? 

I liked Fonte but don’t think he comes close to Alan Ball, or Jimmy Case from my time, also the 1960’s.

Ball reportedly called a team talk without the managements knowledge to rally the troops ahead of the promotion run in. 
 

Case had the respect of the rest of the squad, and was also seen as a bit of a ‘protector’ on the pitch to younger players.

Whats different? Probably that they had the experience, and also respect of the rest of the squad. Have to wonder if now the rest of the squad give a toss, and have respect for anyone, knowing that they can engineer a move with a phone call to their agent should a nasty bully like Bally or Case say something to them. Delicate little flowers that they are with a millionaire lifestyle. 
 

With the changing times, not sure Ball or Case would get Broja for example out of his current slumber. He knows he won’t be here next season, so barely goes through the motions. 

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1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

This is not the 1970s or 80s!

A good captain or leader does not need to be like this...

 

That looks potentially more like a Terry Hurlock than anyone mentioned here previously.  

Doubt many will nominate him as the ideal candidate though.

 

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Jose Fonte was a cracking captain, Dean Hammond was underrated in his role as well. Although that back to back team was full of 'leader' types like Butterfield, Davis, Fonte, Hammond, Lambert etc.

There is always a debate about JWP and whether he is or isn't a good captain, I don't think he's a captain in a conventional sense in any way (not a shouty/organising type) he's more of a bust a gut/run himself into the ground to set an example sort of captain. I think players look up to him, but he doesn't lead in the way you see a lot of captains lead.

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6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Jose Fonte was a cracking captain, Dean Hammond was underrated in his role as well. Although that back to back team was full of 'leader' types like Butterfield, Davis, Fonte, Hammond, Lambert etc.

There is always a debate about JWP and whether he is or isn't a good captain, I don't think he's a captain in a conventional sense in any way (not a shouty/organising type) he's more of a bust a gut/run himself into the ground to set an example sort of captain. I think players look up to him, but he doesn't lead in the way you see a lot of captains lead.

Personally, I think the days of a captain needing to have a go at players is gone. He’s a class captain as he is absolutely spot on with everything he does. First to training ground, last to leave, works hard in training every day, never gets into trouble etc. The whole club needs to hold higher standards but that, IMO, is not specifically the captains job. 

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3 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

This is not the 1970s or 80s!

A good captain or leader does not need to be like this...

 

No... but they do need to be able to galvanise the team and help to keep the team moving forward when its not working on the pitch, Ralph can only do so much

So yes... its a valid question, our last decent captain was Fonte, then it was probably VVD to an extent but we've had nobody come close to displaying the required leadership since those two

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On 01/05/2022 at 15:19, Saint Garrett said:

Ward-Prowse. 

This - perhaps one day his qualities as captain will be as recognised as his playing skill...it took a long time for some people to appreciate those. It sort of goes with the territory of being a one club player but he is inspirational in his play, the work he gets through and his unquestionable commitment to the club. He leads, encourages, puts an arm round when necessary...that's a pretty good combination and we're lucky to have him as captain.

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On 01/05/2022 at 19:02, Smirking_Saint said:

No... but they do need to be able to galvanise the team and help to keep the team moving forward when its not working on the pitch, Ralph can only do so much

So yes... its a valid question, our last decent captain was Fonte, then it was probably VVD to an extent but we've had nobody come close to displaying the required leadership since those two

If you only play football on computer games then you wouldn't understand the importance of one.

I dont think JWP is too bad, but what i think is that any decent team needs 2-3 leaders on the pitch, we dont have that. We've barely got one. 

In Fontes day he was a good captain but he also had other leaders on the pitch around him, Kelvin Davis, Steven Davis, Schniderlin, Lambert, Hammond, Van dijk, prime Bertrand. 

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Best in my time was Steve Williams, succeeded his mentor Bally as skipper at 25 and led the side to runners up and an FA Cup semi in 83/84.  He had the lot as a captain in terms of guile, flair and steel and absolutely detested losing and teammates and the opposition knew it.  Short lived in the role with the Arsenal move but it took him to another level which was brilliant to watch.  When you revisit matches from that period in the club's history on video the energy, intensity and commitment really hits you, a team with character that did everything in their power to win games for Southampton.  

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17 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

Best in my time was Steve Williams, succeeded his mentor Bally as skipper at 25 and led the side to runners up and an FA Cup semi in 83/84.  He had the lot as a captain in terms of guile, flair and steel and absolutely detested losing and teammates and the opposition knew it.  Short lived in the role with the Arsenal move but it took him to another level which was brilliant to watch.  When you revisit matches from that period in the club's history on video the energy, intensity and commitment really hits you, a team with character that did everything in their power to win games for Southampton.  

Yep stevie Williams .. boyhood hero 

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