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Ryder Cup: Paul McGinley v Colin Montgomerie for Europe captaincy

By Iain CarterBBC golf correspondent

Last updated on .From the section Golfcomments128

Europe's Ryder Cup contenders Paul McGinley and Colin Montgomerie celebrate sinking the winning putts in 2002 and 2004 respectively

The process of deciding who will be Europe's next Ryder Cup captain has become a contentious battle of wills.

Rarely has there been such intrigue over who will lead the continent against the United States. The only certainty seems to be that the Abu Dhabi meeting on Tuesday evening will be long and potentially argumentative.

Paul McGinley has the support of Europe's leading players but it remains to be seen whether this is reflected by the tournament committee who decide on the appointment.

Leading figures on that panel are not enthusiastic about the Irishman and there is a swell of opinion now that there could be a shock return to the job for 2010 winning skipper Colin Montgomerie.

This follows the apparent withdrawal of Darren Clarke's candidature. The 2011 Open champion wants to concentrate on his playing career and now becomes an influential voice in the committee room.

It was Clarke who suggested that Europe might want to look at a former captain to provide big-name opposition to an American side led by eight-time major champion Tom Watson.

This paved the way for Montgomerie's name to come into the frame. He lives close to Gleneaglesexternal-link where the 2014 match will be played. And although he has avoided putting his name forward it is known that he would love another crack at the captaincy.

Until Clarke made his suggestion it was thought Montgomerie was out of the picture because of Europe's unwritten rule that leading the continent would be a one-time only appointment.

Montgomerie is also on the tournament committee and would have been a strong and eloquent advocate for McGinley. If the Scot is now a candidate the Irishman has lost that support.

Instead McGinley's most vocal backers are leading players like Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Justin Rose. McIlroy tweeted at the weekend that he believes the captaincy should be a once-only appointment and that he would love to play under McGinley in 2014.

How much heed will be taken by the committee? Or will they be swayed by Clarke's argument for the need to have a big-name appointment to counter the Watson factor?

Speaking before the Northern Ireland man's intervention, Montgomerie insisted Europe should not change course just because America had appointed such a revered figure as Watson.

"It shouldn't colour our judgement at all," Montgomerie told BBC Sport. "We should have only one criteria and that's picking the best man for the job. It doesn't matter what America have done."

McGinley appeared the outstanding candidate. Aside from commanding the respect of Europe's leading players, he has played on winning teams in all three of his Ryder Cups.

Famously, the Dubliner holed the winning putt in 2002 and has been a successful vice captain in the last two matches.

He has also been a brilliant and victorious leader for Great Britain and Ireland in two Seve Trophy matches.

In 2009 McGinley cajoled a supposedly weaker GB&I team to a 16½-11½ victory over a continental European side led by Thomas Bjorn.

The Dane chairs the tournament committee and if Clarke is out of the running Bjorn may emerge as a candidate for 2014 as well.

Members of the European Tour's management, led by chief executive George O'Grady, will also be present at the meeting. It is thought they favoured Clarke for the job.

If the mood in the Abu Dhabi hotel room goes against McGinley they will be denying themselves appointing a sharp tactician who also possesses impeccable public relations skills.

But trying to gauge which way they will decide is difficult to fathom - and with the growing feeling about Monty, McGinley could miss out this time.

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128 comments

  • Comment posted by valjester, at 16:59 14 Jan 2013

    McGinley, for 3 reasons:

    1. He hasn't been captain before.
    2. Monty is a prat.
    3. Monty is a prat.

  • Comment posted by bolt, at 15:23 14 Jan 2013

    Appointing Montgomerie again would be a bad move. He has had his time. He was lucky enough to do the job on European soil with a team who were big odds-on favourites, and we scraped home. So not such a fantastic record as captain anyway.

    And the players want McGinley.

  • Comment posted by User0791000814, at 16:31 14 Jan 2013

    Actually, Sandy Lyle was quite correct, Monty is a bit of a drama queen and he has blown his own trumpet to death, it has to be McGinley, we don't want a soap opera.

  • Comment posted by AV, at 16:32 14 Jan 2013

    Has to be McGinley - has earnt the right and would do a great job.

    Monty is an egotistical blowhard and the RC would be about 'him' rather than the team. It'd be Nick Faldo mark II.

  • Comment posted by Cevert, at 22:12 14 Jan 2013

    He does'nt help himself does he old Monty ? He seems to live in somewhere called Monty World ! Did he put himself forward, was he asked ? Thought he said he would never do it again. Vanity, Vanity !

  • Comment posted by Alan, at 17:18 14 Jan 2013

    @26 - shame, he speaks well of you.

    McGinley has all the right credentials and will be very popular with the players. Sam Torrance didn't have a stella pro record, but he was arguably our best captain. I see PM in very similar mould. He was also on the winning team in all of his ryder cups, very much an unsung hero. I hope he is given the recognition he deserves

  • Comment posted by WCIHIS, at 16:43 14 Jan 2013

    The only good thing about Monty being captain again is that we wouldn't have to suffer his awful commentary, or his constant er er er repeating himself and constantly telling everyone how HE single handedly won the RC last time he was captain.
    PM 2014, DC 2016 and MAJ 2018.

  • Comment posted by User0014974266, at 18:14 14 Jan 2013

    Only in the event that there is not suitable candidate should a captain be given a second Ryder Cup. That does not apply to this generation and with Clarke, Bjorn, McGinley and Westwood, Garcia et al to follow, a decade of Captains can easily be named. Monty took his chance and took it well, but it is a sign of desperation by the USA that they have had to revert to an all time legend.

  • Comment posted by User0058105668, at 16:33 14 Jan 2013

    Clarke has the 2016 slot sewn up.
    I think McGinley has proven between being a VC and his work at the Seve trophy he has the ability to be captain in 2014. It really doesn't matter who the American captain is. Do you really see some sort of wave of Scottish/European 'support' because Watson is the US captain?

    I also see Jiminez as captain in 2018 hopefully, if he isn't seen as being too old.

  • Comment posted by David Windsor, at 12:33 15 Jan 2013

    Of the two choices. I'd vote for McGinley. Ensuring that the players are onside and work as a team is much more important that personal golfing achievement . Montgomery was not a great captain and his selection came close to losing Europe the match. He's not done nearly enough to deserve another go.

  • Comment posted by User0973018881, at 21:37 14 Jan 2013

    Montgomerie was a brilliant player but a self important,self centred bore.
    His commentary input at Medinha was all about me ,me,"what I did,what I would have done etc etc I think Paul McGinley would be a far better choice in terms of leading the team,having the players respect and beter motivational/team building skills.

  • Comment posted by D1679112081102, at 14:57 14 Jan 2013

    I completely agree with Mcllroy that the captaincy should be one-time only.

    All you ever hear from Montgomerie is how well HE did when he captained the Ryder cup team. (I get the impression from his attitude thar he won on his own, the team being incidental.

    Surely European golf can provide a more siutable choice. Mcginley is one, but there are many more popular candidates than MONTY.

  • Comment posted by tony, at 16:22 14 Jan 2013

    Monty - a legend. (in his own mind).

  • Comment posted by User0073803345, at 15:40 14 Jan 2013

    A decent summary of the situation, but it would be good to know your preference Iain. Mine is for Paul as he is good enough and Monty has become a bit full of himself recently, which I dont think would go down well with the team.

  • Comment posted by User0636022064, at 21:08 14 Jan 2013

    WE ALL KNOW IT!
    Paul McGinely is the best man for the job.

  • Comment posted by AGlassOfRed, at 18:46 14 Jan 2013

    ET committee members have talked to players today,and realised how much support PM has.
    Here's my prediction;

    Captain,Paul McGinley
    Vice-Captains,Darren Clarke,Thomas Bjorn,Padraig Harrington(all 3 depending on not qualifying for team) and suprise 4th vice captain, David Feherty. Watch this space!

  • Comment posted by broly, at 15:00 14 Jan 2013

    Sky Sports News unashamedly pushing their man this morning.

    The only important factor to consider is who the players want, nothing else matters. Europe's best players have come out in support of McGinley.

  • Comment posted by User0451644534, at 13:09 15 Jan 2013

    'The big name factor'? Surely nobody takes that seriously? It sounds like journalists trying to make a story out of nothing to me!

    Sounds like McGinley is the right man for the job, is everyone's choice, and will probably get the job.

  • Comment posted by Dave-Edinburgh, at 19:29 15 Jan 2013

    I think the monty hating is quite pathetic. He was an excellent player, unlucky not to win a major, and a great ryder cup player, and a loyal member of the European tour. Just look at how Mcilroy, Donald, Rose, Kaymar are now based in America. Motormouth Mcilroy would be better keeping his opionions to himself, looks like his inflated ego has gone beyond the pale now. Better check with Rory.

  • Comment posted by anorak, at 10:34 15 Jan 2013

    Please no. I couldnt stand another round of this bombastic fat ego trip talking about "My Team" the whole time on Sky Sports

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