CAPTAIN’S IDENTITY LOSES ITS SPARKLE
GARETH SOUTHGATE is having a game of pass the parcel with one of English football’s ultimate gifts.
The captain’s armband has turned into a hot potato that is making the accolade start to look a bit half-baked. It was Joe Hart’s turn against Lithuania at Wembley yesterday with Wayne Rooney, Jordan Henderson and Gary Cahill all unavailable. Joe Bloggs, meanwhile, failed to return Southgate’s call, so that ruled him out too. But all the England boss is doing is simply unwrapping the myth that we have to have one leader on the field. The late and great Bobby Moore might be forgiven for turning in his grave, with people thinking, ‘How did it come to this?’ But ‘Captain Mainwaring’ could have led us to this 2-0 triumph. The most iconic photograph in our sporting history is the one of Moore holding aloft the World Cup on that glorious afternoon in 1966. He is sat on the shoulders of his team-mates as he was the inspirational captain in our finest hour. It’s one of the main reasons Moore is remembered like he is and stands out in our memories more than the likes of George Cohen, Ray Wilson and Martin Peters do.
Southgate’s treatment of the cherished role is now in danger of turning our current leaders into nothing more than a bunch of tossers.
Flipping the coin before kick-off and exchanging a pennant (what happens to all of those by the way?) might be as far as the responsibility goes nowadays.
But it is a reflection of modern times and how the role of a captain in sport has become more and more marginalised.
Dylan Hartley has led the England rugby team to back-to-back Six Nations titles and a record-equalling winning streak under Eddie Jones.
Trailing
But in each game of this season’s championship he was hauled off with 30 minutes remaining, including the recent defeat in Ireland, when his side were trailing and a Grand Slam was on the line.
In cricket, Joe Root is captain of the England Test team, but when it comes to the limited overs side he plays under the leadership of Eoin Morgan.
When it became clear to Pep Guardiola that Vincent Kompany wouldn’t be available for long spells, he let the other players decide who would be his Manchester City skipper.
In the last six months, meanwhile, England have had four different captains in the shape of Rooney, Henderson, Cahill and now Hart.
Since 2014, Phil Jagielka, Chris Smalling and James Milner have also worn the armband.
Few can be prouder than Hart to lead the Three Lions. The keeper