Should Virgil remain captain?

Has to be a no from me. Wouldn't want our captain to be someone who made his desire to leave so public. I'd personally give it to Romeu, I think that's the general consensus among Saints fans, but no reason to take it off Davo at the moment.

 

Think I agree with this. Leave it with Davis this season. Then next season when presumably Van Dijk will be gone we can reassess. Romeu, Maya and JWP are the other obvious candidates.

 

Absolutely not

 

On the flipside, the main role of the on field captain is to marshal the players.

By all accounts the players are all fine with him, and if he's the best man for the job....

(I still think no, though not necessarily never).

 

Oh for god's sake, stop equivocating, man.

My response to the original question is "Are you taking the piss?"

 

Yes if he knuckles down and plays to his best. He's a natural leader on the pitch. Steven Davis is not from what I've seen.

 

No. Give it to JWP or Davis, both of whom are far more loyal than Van Dijk.

 

No he should not be captain. No need to make a statement just leave the armband with Davis. If Davis doesn't get picked then either Romeo or Yoshida depending on who's playing. Probably safer to give it to Yoshida as he is less likely to leave.

 

The captaincy should not be given to the most loyal player. They must be a leader on the pitch. I have never seen Yoshida demonstrate this so he shouldn't be captain. I do think we would do better on the pitch if Van Dijk remains captain. If not him then Romeu.

 

He's captain for Japan and when you look at him off the pitch he's clearly popular and has a good deal of respect from players and staff alike. I'd say he's shown it more than anyone else we have. Certainly him and Davis are head and shoulders above the rest in that respect.

 

Not really bothered (football captaincy isn't that important) but I'd leave it with him. He wouldn't be the first captain of a football team to try and force a move and then return successfully (Rooney and Gerrard spring to mind, Vieira may be another).

 

A player who is a true Captain or leader of men, does not need to wear an arm band.

 

Is this a pastiche of the final line from Back to the Future or have you eaten 3 shredded wheat for breakfast?

I have often pondered this leadership thing. It often seems to be translated as doing a lot of talking. Bobby Moore was a great captain, in my view. One of my favourite stories about him was, with the ball at his feet in the 120th minute of the 1966 Final, he ignored the voices of those screaming for him to put it in row Z and calmly played a through ball for Hurst to score.

Later, I went with a Hammers mate of mine to see WHU play a lower division team in a cup replay. But for us, there wouldn't have been a crowd! The opposing centre forward (we had those in the old days) was verbally giving Bobby stick throughout the game. At the final whistle, with West Ham having won comfortably, he asked for Bobby's shirt. The great man took off his shirt, handed it to him while accepting the other's, shook the guy's hand and walked off without a word. He was a quiet man, but a great leader. It comes from example, bearing and total respect. Shame no-one thought to clone Bobby.

 

Don't need a captain.

 

Agreed

 

We need direction and leadership now more than ever.

 

But what about the coin toss?

 

Romeu for me.

 

I'm on the don't care fence post. If he's starting, playing well, then why not.

 

He won't expect to remain Captain after handing in a transfer request but in keeping with the "it's nothing personal" approach, if he still has the players respect, them it wouldn't worry me if he kept the armband.