[Archived] Captain?

[Fife Rover]

Whether or not he is captain against Liverpool on the 26th, there is one thing for certain; you would get very long odds if you were to bet on him breaking another Liverpool player's leg!

[Presty On Tour]

Nothing wrong with him wanting to leave. If anything, by leaving in January he is doing us a favour because we should be able to get a fair amount for him.

What I cannot believe is that after Neill has displayed that he absolutely definately wants to leave, that he is still captain. A new captain is going to have to be chosen in January in any case, so why has the change not been made yet?

He might be a cracking bloke in the dressing room, but he hardly strikes me as a leader on the pitch or as a man that can inspire the team.

I think Sav might be something of an overbearing captain, so I would probably give it to Friedel, or maybe Tugay when he plays. Although, Savage would certainly be a better choice than Neill.

ooijer has been only at the club 5 mins and he had the arm band when neill wasn't playing.

i'm really split wheather neill will or should play against the scousers nevermind being captain.

could you imagine if he scores an own goal for instance?

[philipl]

Drama queens the lot of you.

[Boz]

Drama queens the lot of you.

Or true supporters.

[Flopsy]

no, drama queens. True supporters dont turn on their own players who are honouring a contract in good faith

[Presty On Tour]

Drama queens the lot of you.

no, drama queens. True supporters dont turn on their own players who are honouring a contract in good faith

ok it's 0-0 against the scousers and we have a penalty in the last minute of injury time which will be the last kick of the match and lucas neill is taking it?

if he signed a 4 year extension deal to stay with rovers you would have less doubt about him missing the pen than with the current situation with him being almost certain to start playing for liverpool in the new year?

mentally he doesn't want to hinder his future club and get on the bad side of the fans, players and setup at liverpool before he has even arrived by knocking in the winning goal for the club he is leaving.

i may be talking balls here and yes the players are pro's and honouring contracts etc.. but it's an interesting scenario don't you think?

[gumboots]

Do you really think he'd be taking a pen in that situation? You can be sure the management team have thought about the possibilities and will decide what happens. Besides which would you as a Liverpool fan ( many of whom dislike Neill intensely) want to see a player who could stab his team mates in the back coming to your club. I'd back Lucas to score if they were to let him take such a pen.

[Presty On Tour]

if jeffers isn't on the pitch then he will probably have to, neill and benni have both missed penaltys this season and i don't know if they would fancy another especially in that pressure situation, roberts has taken one and missed but is currently out injured.

neill is the first choice.

[Brownie]

Or true supporters.

Don't delude yourself.

Those of you giving Lucas a hard time remind me of spotty fifth formers who can't get over their girlfriends finishing with them for someone better looking.

Get over it and move on, and don't go round calling her a slapper.

[Boz]

My response was to the generalisation that because we all don't just agree that all things MH does are correct we should just accept them.

I have never booed a Rovers player!

But I feel that the captain should be someone who is fully committed.

If this makes me a drama queen in the eyes of others, then so be it.

If you cannot see the paradox in all of this, when our captain (penalty taker?) will in all probability be playing against his immenient new team mates, then I suggest it is you who is deluded!

Edited December 22, 2006 by Boz

[RevidgeBlue]

Don't delude yourself.

Those of you giving Lucas a hard time remind me of spotty fifth formers who can't get over their girlfriends finishing with them for someone better looking.

Get over it and move on, and don't go round calling her a slapper.

Don't be ridiculous Brownie. Neill is perfectly entitled to move on and I know your view is in the light of Lucas being your best mate or something but there is no way at all he should play against Liverpool. It will be a tough enough game as it is and his long term loyalties must clearly lie with them not us.

Whether he plays against Arsenal, Boro and Wigan is a different matter entirely. I've no doubt Hughes will pick him if he feels he is sufficiently committed. Personally I still wouldn't pick him if Emerton is available, and he definitely shouldn't still be in possession of the armband.

[Jordan]

if jeffers isn't on the pitch then he will probably have to, neill and benni have both missed penaltys this season and i don't know if they would fancy another especially in that pressure situation, roberts has taken one and missed but is currently out injured.

neill is the first choice.

I think Pederson is the first choice penalty taker at the moment.

As for the next captin, it has to be Savage.

Edited December 22, 2006 by Jordan

[Blueboy Downunder]

Don't be ridiculous Brownie. Neill is perfectly entitled to move on and I know your view is in the light of Lucas being your best mate or something but there is no way at all he should play against Liverpool. It will be a tough enough game as it is and his long term loyalties must clearly lie with them not us.

Whether he plays against Arsenal, Boro and Wigan is a different matter entirely. I've no doubt Hughes will pick him if he feels he is sufficiently committed. Personally I still wouldn't pick him if Emerton is available, and he definitely shouldn't still be in possession of the armband.

come on rev, of course he should play against liverpool. i know that he has lost a lot of respect from fans on this board for the things he has said in the media to try and engineer a move away from rovers, but his professionalism as a pro footballer (on the day) should see his immediate loyalties with the club that pays his wages. liverpool fans would agree aswell i dare say. if he does play, which i am sure that sparky will pick him, and it is obvious that he is playing and ducking out of tackles then the scousers won't like it either.

[RevidgeBlue]

if he does play, which i am sure that sparky will pick him, and it is obvious that he is playing and ducking out of tackles then the scousers won't like it either.

Eh,? they'll like it a lot less if he were to go in hard and accidentally injure a Liverpool player.

Don't blame him at all btw for either wanting to move on or using his contractual situation to maximise his financial position. We didn't need that stupid gesture the other week mind.

[USABlue]

Eh,? they'll like it a lot less if he were to go in hard and accidentally injure a Liverpool player.

Given Lucas' track record of leg breaking perhaps the scousers will throw in some extra cash for him not to play heh heh, may just save a Liverpool player 6 or 8 weeks in the treatment room.

[Brownie]

Don't be ridiculous Brownie. Neill is perfectly entitled to move on and I know your view is in the light of Lucas being your best mate or something but there is no way at all he should play against Liverpool. It will be a tough enough game as it is and his long term loyalties must clearly lie with them not us.

Whether he plays against Arsenal, Boro and Wigan is a different matter entirely. I've no doubt Hughes will pick him if he feels he is sufficiently committed. Personally I still wouldn't pick him if Emerton is available, and he definitely shouldn't still be in possession of the armband.

Depends really whether a deal has already been struck.

if not then he should play.

As we stand he may well be staying untill the summer or may even join another club.

Don't forget its down to MH whether he joins Liverpool in January or not.

[blue/white]

I think Pederson is the first choice penalty taker at the moment.

As for the next captin, it has to be Savage.

Will you still feel that way once the Admiral returns?

[Fife Rover]

My response was to the generalisation that because we all don't just agree that all things MH does are correct we should just accept them.

I have never booed a Rovers player!

But I feel that the captain should be someone who is fully committed.

If this makes me a drama queen in the eyes of others, then so be it.

If you cannot see the paradox in all of this, when our captain (penalty taker?) will in all probability be playing against his immenient new team mates, then I suggest it is you who is deluded!

There is a very simple solution to this quandary. Don't play Lucas Neil against Liverpool; problem solved!

[tcj_jones]

Does anybody else think that Savage might be something of an unpopular captain amongst the team. He could be somewhat overbearing.

I like him a lot but perhaps not as captain. His yelling doesn't always seem to be appreciated by the team. They might not take him seriously.

Obviously I don't know, just an impression.

Nelsen is the obvious choice, but while he is injured I think that either Brad or Tugay would command the instant respect of the team, would lead by example (although this isn't in question with Savage) and have the personality to kick the crap out of the players if they aren't pulling their weight. Either could be very influential - much more so than Neill anyway.

I also think Steven Reid would make an excellent captain one day, but maybe not just yet. In any case, he is injured at the moment.

[thenodrog]

There is a very simple solution to this quandary. Don't play Lucas Neil against Liverpool; problem solved!

We would be daft doing that if the problem is not a problem at all i.e. if he is NOT going to Liverpool.

If ever there is a poll started on here for whether Neill should have been captain these past months is it possible that a column be included for the age of the poster? I think the average age of the Lucas detractors could well be about 12!

............... Rev and Jim excepted of course!

[tcj_jones]

Oh shut up. I reckon the intellect of the average 12 year old is superior than your own! Oh, and I'm sure he doesn't need me to say, but Fife Rover is far older than 12!

This isn't about age, or really intellect for that matter. It is about passion and loyalty. I don't agree that Neill should be dropped for the Liverpool game, but I fully understand those wanting him to be dropped. He isn't showing us much passion or loyalty at the moment. As long as he performs then that is all I ask until he leaves us in January. I don't think many aren't expecting him to leave in the coming weeks.

[Fife Rover]

We would be daft doing that if the problem is not a problem at all i.e. if he is NOT going to Liverpool.

If ever there is a poll started on here for whether Neill should have been captain these past months is it possible that a column be included for the age of the poster? I think the average age of the Lucas detractors could well be about 12!

............... Rev and Jim excepted of course!

Well obviously in that case there would be no need to change anything, but is it likely that he is not bound for Anfield? I would not like to wager any more than tuppence on it. How much would you risk Theno?

Oh and just to clear up any possible misunderstanding about why I am suggesting dropping Lucas for the Liverpool game. It has absolutely nothing to do with suspecting his loyalty or his commitment at any point prior to the Liverpool match. It is simply a pragmatic solution to what would inevitably be a conflict in the minds of not only Lucas Neil himself but of all who witnessed the game should he take part in it. The only sensible way to avoid this is to drop him for this match only. Then to carry on as normal and let things take their own course.

Edited December 22, 2006 by Fife Rover

[Eddie]

If anything Lucas will see this as a perfect opportunity to put himself in the shop window. Play him.

[AggyBlue]

What better way to show his professionalism than a MOM performance against Liverpool.

[joey_big_nose]

What better way to show his professionalism than a MOM performance against Liverpool.

Very true. Liverpool are not going to hold anything against him at all if he plays well. From both their perspectives it will bode much better if he puts in an outstanding performance. Respect from his future teamates, assurance to the manager he has got quality, professionalism and fight.

If he goes out and plays badly it will only leave Benitez and the Anfield locker room asking questions.