Next Captain

[PaulP]

But the one thing they can't be is small and physically weak
Murphy just doesn't impose himself, in fact he often get's pushed around and knocked over and his answer, look for a free.
What sort of role model or image is that for all these kids coming through.

What successful side has ever had a captain that gets physically knocked around like Murphy does?

I think on the Staging For Frees Index, Murphy rates pretty low IMO, in an industry where such habits are not only encouraged, but dare I say also discussed and rehearsed.

Leaders come in different shapes and sizes. If I was playing alongside Murph, I would simply accept that he is one player out of 22 that has a job to do. He's being given the role of captain, he's not big or strong, and doesn't physically intimidate, but there's other players who are able do that, and they can do that, whether they are captain or not. He brings other qualities to the role, and I would pretty much leave it at that, and just get on with it.

I've said it before - much too much is made of the role of captain - one individual simply cannot make that much difference. Any player who has a bad day and blames the captain for not inspiring them, or not being big and tough enough, should be sacked on the spot. I realise for some people the captain has to be big and tough, intimidating etc., but I'm not from that school of thought. I think it disempowers team members when they believe that so and so should "inspire" them, or iron out some opponent. I think it's a sign of weakness to wait for others to do those things. Every player should be a leader as it were, and should be empowered to act as a captain acts in these circumstances.

Our plight in recent seasons would have been exactly the same irrespective of who our captain was, be it Sticks or anyone else.