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Ryder Cup: Paul McGinley must be captain, says Rory McIlroy

Last updated on .From the section Golfcomments64

Paul McGinley

Rory McIlroy says it will be "a disappointing day for the European Tour" if Paul McGinley is not named Europe's 2014 Ryder Cup captain.

McGinley and Colin Montgomerie are the leading candidates to skipper the team at Gleneagles in 2014.

The European Tour's tournament committee meets in Abu Dhabi at 15:30 GMT on Tuesday to discuss the role.

Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion, was also in the frame but formally requested not be considered on Tuesday.

McIlroy told BBC Sport's Iain Carter: "I think it will be a disappointing day for the European Tour if it doesn't go Paul McGinley's way.

"I feel very strongly about it and I have voiced my opinion, and hopefully they will make the right choice."

Montgomerie, the winning 2010 captain, is a late contender but seen by some as a bigger name than McGinley and better able to oppose America's choice, Tom Watson.

"It would be a dream come true if I could be seen to be captain at home in Scotland," said Montgomerie.

Dubliner McGinley, an assistant in the last two matches, is a popular choice with the players and enjoys support from Luke Donald and Justin Rose as well as double major winner McIlroy.

Donald tweetedexternal-link: "I hope Paul McGinley gets his chance, he's been an amazing Vice Captain and deserves an opportunity #2014RyderCup."

The 46-year-old McGinley played in three Ryder Cups and holed the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002.

He may not have achieved as much individual success as eight-time European number one Montgomerie, but it is widely felt he did enough as a vice-captain and as Britain and Ireland's two-time winning Seve Trophy captain to indicate he has the ability to lead Europe.

Montgomerie, the eight-time Ryder Cup veteran, had previously said he felt players should only hold the captaincy once.

But the prospect of the 49-year-old taking over from the winning 2012 captain Jose Maria Olazabal is gaining support.

"It will be a great honour," added Montgomerie, who amassed 23½ points in the Ryder Cup and was unbeaten in singles.

"It seemed to be between Darren and Paul and now my name seems to be mentioned an awful lot, so we will see."

Clarke's withdrawal comes after a recent upturn in form encouraged him to think he could make the team for the 2014 competition.

The Northern Irishman said: "I have been to see [Players' Committee chairman] Thomas Bjorn and formally informed him I do not want to be considered for the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2014.

"It was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. I have been agonising over what to do since I showed a few glimpses of my old form in Thailand and Australia at the end of last year."

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64 comments

  • Comment posted by DBF, at 10:45 15 Jan 2013

    Monty should do the right thing for the european Ryder cup team and players and back McGinley and step aside. He has HAD his Ryder cup as he constantly tells anyone willing to listen so should let Paul have his. Though McGinley will have a team and it will be a team effort not a lets crow about myself event. The players want Paul and that should be the deciding factor.

  • Comment posted by ChewieD, at 13:43 15 Jan 2013

    Personally hope the committee picks McGinley sticking with what has become their policy of the captaincy being a one time thing.

    Rightly or wrongly I got the impression Europe won in 2010 despite Montgomerie.

    His picks were open to debate and I never thought he came across well throughout the event.

    Just because the event is in Scotland does not mean we need a
    Scot as captain.

  • Comment posted by wordsmith1000, at 13:17 15 Jan 2013

    Please anybody but Monty
    McIlroy has every right to voice his opinion...and it's the correct one

  • Comment posted by Steve, at 15:40 15 Jan 2013

    Sheer arrogance by Montgomerie, he just wants glory for himself. He was lucky last time round, wrongly picking out of form Harrington. McGinley is a leader who will get the best out of the team. Montgomerie's TV punditry last year was laced with biased comments (even referring to one of Tiger Woods' shots as the worst shot he'd seen from a pro), ill grace which has no place in this competition.

  • Comment posted by Blackdawg, at 12:27 15 Jan 2013

    If Monty gets the job at least we won't have to endure his terrible commentary on Sky Sports this time around!!

    It also sounds like the players aren't that enamoured of Monty as we once thought...

  • Comment posted by U13174198, at 13:43 15 Jan 2013

    McIlroy is quite within his rights to express, not only his opinion but that of many of his RC team mates. Paul McGinley is the popular choice with the players and also the European golfing fan base. Not many, want Monty hogging the limelight for the next 2 years.

  • Comment posted by U13682551, at 11:53 15 Jan 2013

    Since when did what a player achieved during his career make him a good captain? @8, the fact that McGinley was 'undoubtedly a B-list player' means absolutely nothing, as someone else has pointed out Faldo was a terrible captain and Torrance was a good one.

    Has to be McGinley, Monty has had his day in the sun. You don't pick a captain your players don't want, suicidal.

  • Comment posted by Brian h, at 11:49 15 Jan 2013

    Monty is only interested in promoting himself, PM is a much better choice , if CM wants it so bad let him do it next time in the states, my bet he would refuse to do it away,

  • Comment posted by miketj65, at 11:01 15 Jan 2013

    Step aside Monty and let McGinley take the job. It would be tragic to go back to a man just doing a bit of opportunistic glory hunting. Move on with you life Colin, you've done the job let someone else have a go. It's of no consequence that USA have gone to Watson, we don't need to compete with them by offering up our own ceremonial captain. Disappointed Monty hasn't distanced himself already!

  • Comment posted by U15473531, at 00:00 16 Jan 2013

    I don't understand any of the controversy in this. McGinley had to play a key role in assisting the last Ryder Cup, which is why he has gained this much respect from his players.

  • Comment posted by U14277094, at 20:07 15 Jan 2013

    Is there a higher "station" the worlds number one golfer ?

  • Comment posted by U14277094, at 18:28 15 Jan 2013

    Be funny to see his face at the event even more "torn" than usual.

    Knowing monty, he won't bother going now citing the aforementioned papz, or the weather or the wrong clubs or the yanks booing him or ..............

  • Comment posted by no-one-likes-us, at 18:18 15 Jan 2013

    McGinley just been announced, so that ends that argument...

  • Comment posted by swoopster25, at 15:16 15 Jan 2013

    McGinely all the way. Monty has created a monster for Paul that he doesn't need if select. He will always be Paul McGinley who was 'selected ahead of big beast |Monty' rather simply the 'obvious no1 choice of the players'.

    its created a problem we don't need. monty comes across as odd on TV

  • Comment posted by Brochman, at 13:49 15 Jan 2013

    It is disappointing that it has come to this, particularly as there is likely to be a negative residual effect on the team, even though the event is still some way off. Monty, in my opinion, should have ruled himself out for the greater good of the team, but his ego got in the way.

  • Comment posted by Boz1, at 13:45 15 Jan 2013

    Montgomery has had his turn, he should do the honorable thing and not stand, as he was a supporter previously for the captain being a one off chance.

    #35, your Scottish bias is showing

  • Comment posted by U15575317, at 13:02 15 Jan 2013

    McIlroy has been asked his opinion by the media and he has given it, what is the problem with that? Donald has also come out in support of McGinley but no-one seems to criticise him for that....

    Monty was great but with the strength of the tour at the moment, as shown by @32, surely we are in a position to now make the captaincy a one time opportunity?

  • Comment posted by U1683505, at 12:29 15 Jan 2013

    to be fair 'mcginley' turned down the vice captain role under 'faldo' because he wanted to concentrate on making the team..no other reason....'mcginley' should get his turn to be captain..giving monty another shot smacks of favouritism..'seve','woosie','langer' ,'olly' and 'faldo' got one shot at it ...why should 'monty' get another shot when he wasnt even that great a player?.

  • Comment posted by Commander Foster, at 12:08 15 Jan 2013

    I doubt Mrs Doubtfire could win it again

  • Comment posted by U15575187, at 12:02 15 Jan 2013

    @5 In fairness to McGinley, a streaker ran right on top of the line of JJ Henry's putt on 18. McGinley is on record saying he didn't want to give the putt but felt he had to in the spirit of the competition (and maybe with what happened in Brookline in mind). The guy's killer instict should not be in question.A fierce competitor, unbeaten in singles

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