Hey guys, before i get slated for this as if i do not love the team or i do not think Lallana is a loyal saint, i have to ask if anyone else thinks Lallana is a suitable club captain. I believe he is easily one of our best players and the fact that he is loyal and has stayed with us all the way down to league 1 and up again (when he most likely had offers from other clubs offering a higher league) is massive. I think he will be brilliant as club captain in a couple years time, but at the moment especially in our first year in the premiership i feel we need someone who actually shouts at the other players/motivates them etc. Especially when we might have a couple of arsenal results on our hands this season. Not being negative just realistic. People can say that we have played the top 3 clubs and have done well, but the premier league has plenty of clubs who have embarrassed newly promoted teams 5-0.
I have been thinking the same thing actually. All I will say is we don't know what the dressing room environment is like, so it's difficult for an outsider to judge. Think it has to be either him or Rickie though.
I thought KD was Club Captain, Lala Team Captain on the day? It does need an outfield Player to be skipper on the day, not sure that Lala is the right one to do it though.
Nobody been near the touchline? Adam was one of the most vocal players of last season, even more so this season with the captains armband. I think it's a great move making him captain.
It has to be a nailed on starter, or we get the Hammond effect again. For me there are 5 names always on the team sheet, Rickie, Lallana, Gaston, Spider and Clyne so it has to be one of those.
It can't be a keeper, it can't be Fox cause he's ****, Clyne is too young, Hooiveld isn't guaranteed playing time, same as Richardson, Yoshida probably hasn't been here long enough or speak english well enough, same as Ramirez, can't be Puncheon or Ward-Prowse, and I'd say Cork isn't guaranteed time this year either. That leaves Fonte, Davis, Schneiderlin, Lallana, or Lambert. I'd be happy for any of them to get it, so why not reward Lallana with it for his loyalty?
Adam has been known to go missing just occasionally, in the odd match. What we want is a Lallana who is always there, doing his utmost for the team. Well, what better than to make him Captain..? He can't go missing then, because he has a responsibility to the team. People sometimes accuse Adkins of swallowing a middle-management manual, because of all of the Adkinisms he pops out with. But I often think he's read from the odd Transactional Analysis or Psycho-Cybernetics book. Because he's just done for Adam exactly what was needed to improve his game, just that little bit further. It is the final piece that has helped bring Lallana into contention for an England place. An excellent piece of strategic thinking by Nigel, in my opinion.
Don't be fooled in to thinking that anyone who isn't captain would hold back from motivating, bollocking, passing on information or vocalising any observations during half time etc when necassary. I assume Adam's been made captain because he's a good role model for the current crop of talented youngsters and shows that if you remain loyal to the club that it doesn't go unrewarded. Very smart selection in my opinion.
If a player isnt captain does that automatically mean they cant be vocal and influential? When i play football the captain is just generally one of the better players who has been part of the team for a long period of time and knows all the people at the club, after all when you play, are you only going to listen to the captain? It is the role of the whole team and staff to be vocal. I do believe he is the right player, as he has been a lifelong saint, loves the club and is a cracking player!
Went to the wolves pre season friendly and you could hear how vocal and motivated Adam was and that was a pre season friendly. I think hes a great choice for captain and he will not be shy to shout at players if need be.
Adkins was aware Adam occasionally went missing in games. The extra responsibility means he's fully involved for 90 mins.
I'm still yet to be convinced that it matters in any way. For me whoever is the best at guessing a referee's coin flip can be captain.
Different captains have different approaches though. They don't all have to scare the **** out of the rest of team like Roy Keane or Oliver Kahn. It's hard to know how vocal Adam would be because we aren't in the dressing room but I very much feel the spirit is growing in the team in such a way that the players play FOR him. I imagine he was a popular choice inside the dressing room and I think he should be a popular choice outside it too. I wouldn't have been against Rickie being captain but I don't think the captain should change every season so a more long-term option is a wise move. Schneiderlin or Fonte for me if not Lallana.
