Faldo: At fault for Europe's loss?
What did you make of Nick Faldo's captaincy of the European Ryder Cup side at Valhalla? It's Your View. < Back to Story
Faldo: At fault for Europe's loss?
What did you make of Nick Faldo's captaincy of the European Ryder Cup side at Valhalla? It's Your View. < Back to Story
Skysports.com takes a first-hand look around the Celtic Manor complex in pictures.
Pictures of Team Europe's individual players as selected by Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie.
Pictures of Team USA's individual players as selected by Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin.
As we countdown to the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, here's a look at the tournament's prestigious history.
Check out our gallery of European captain Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup career.
Pictures from USA's 16.5 -11.5 victory over Europe in the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla.
Pictures from the 2006 Ryder Cup held at The K Club in County Kildare, Ireland.
Tiger Woods won the US Open on one leg and, despite Poulter's best efforts, Europe fail in Valhalla.
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Comments (161)
Howard Eve says...
I certainly wouldnt blame Faldo for the defeat but I would question some of his pairings.The pairing of Stenson and Wilson in the Saturday morning foursomes puzzled me.Seeing that this was Oliver Wilsons first Ryder Cup,I would have put him out in the afternoon fourball where he could have played his own game.Faldo is being criticised for putting his so called big guns out last in the singles but when you look at the performances of Harrington and Westwood in particular,was that really an issue.Having said that,I personally would have put Ian Poulter out first to show some real intent. Yes Nick Faldo made mistakes and im sure he would admit that but lets not run away with the idea that he lost us the Ryder Cup,after all he did pick Ian Poulter so it wasnt all bad.
Posted 14:06 22nd September 2008
Keith White says...
You can't really blame Faldo as we were beaten by the better team. If our so called 'big 3' - Harrington, Westwood and Garcia had played to even 50% of their potential we may even have shaded it. Congratulations to everbody involved for a thrilling and wonderful Ryder Cup
Posted 14:06 22nd September 2008
Mark Curtis says...
Faldo's fault? Don't talk nonsense! Faldo tried his very best to try and counteract the USA charge, but this time they were just too good. The main reason we lost was the obnoxious and arrogant USA crowd who just didn't shut up! As for Garcia he was awful, was it Faldo's fault that the Spaniard crumbled under the pressure - no! As for Nick's picks, he was brave picking Poulter and McDowell and they were our best two players along with Rose. Sometimes you just have to put your hands up and say the Yanks were the better team over the three days.
Posted 13:32 22nd September 2008
Marc Hawes says...
Absolutely gutted! Faldo's leadership a complete joke from start to finish. Started with contentious picks, where were his helpers?, farsical press conferences, weak partnerships, unclear orders, complete lack of motivation, no focus etc! Faldo has a personal golf record the envy of every European.... to get there he understandably became a completely self absorbed, focused individual, unfortunately with the personality of a mildly wet fart. Now how was this charmless loner ever going to get the best out of our team? What does he know about gelling people together, inspirational speak and team tactics etc etc - Nothing!! Europe had the stronger team on paper which never reached it's potential - The Americans played for each other, supported each other with a leader who brought them together as a team! People have the utmost respect for Faldo's single minded dedication as an individual but please, please, please, DO NOT give him another chance to Captain? A leader, he is NOT!
Posted 12:54 22nd September 2008
Dean Robertson says...
At the end of the day, Faldo's team came up against a very strong USA team, Maybe he got the selection wrong for the single matches but all the players in the European team were capable of beating the Americans, and the favourites failed to perform when they most needed to. He made one of the best decisions by including Ian Poulter in the team and he took a lot of flak for doing that and it paid dividends as he was one of the strongest players in the European side. Europe will just have to make up for this defeat in 2010!!!
Posted 12:39 22nd September 2008
Jon Price says...
I think it's only the people in the press who are blaming Nick Faldo. It seems the British press are always looking for someone to blame in all of the sports we compete in. Maybe it would help our sports if the press had a more positive response to those who compete. It's very easy to forget what a good player Nick Faldo was & I'm sure the players who have played under his captainship have learnt a hell of a lot from him. The players will blame themselves for losing the cup, but in all honesty, the Americans played better golf. It's a shame that we have lost the cup, but we were bound to lose it at some stage. I think it'll just make the players more hungry to win it next time.
Posted 12:38 22nd September 2008
Steven Tainsh says...
It wasn't Faldo's fault we lost to a better team, thats it no excuses. He picked the highest point scorer in the tournament in Ian Poulter so you can't blame Faldo. Westwood should stop whining the whole point of the Ryder Cup is to experience the American atmosphere then 2 years later the European one. Faldo says the Americans were 'marginally' better but losing by 5 points a big margin. The point is America were a lot better over the 3 days.
Posted 12:35 22nd September 2008
Simon Francis says...
It's ridiculous to even suggest that Faldo is to blame for this defeat. Any idiot can see that the USA played out of their skins and deserved the victory. Once the players are out on the course, it's down to them to perform and the way that Kim dismantled Garcia set the tone for the afternoon. The Americans wanted this Ryder Cup badly and much as it grieves me to say it, they fully deserved to regain the cup after one of the best weekends of matchplay golf we've seen. The Europeans will be back for Celtic Manor...
Posted 12:34 22nd September 2008
Howard Wright says...
Faldo made mistakes for sure with not enough vice captains out on the course whereas the Americans had battle hardened competitors like Ray Floyd and Dave Stockton advising and cajoling. But the Americans were always going to be a better "team" without the media spotlight on Woods who is a distraction to team bonding and were due a good Ryder Cup. For once they maximised their potential and as with our team the inexperienced players with no scars were the real leaders. Having said that i think faldo was a good captain picked poulter and casey against many "experts" better judgement and only ultimately was let down by poor form from garcia, westwood and harrington which was something beyond his control .... i hope this is a springboard 4 players such as poulter and mcdowell to move on to greater achievements ... well done usa
Posted 12:33 22nd September 2008
David Grasby says...
Im sure Faldo is going to be criticised by the press as they dont seem happy unless someone gets the bullet. However the simple fact is was that it was a great weekend of Golf with two evenly matched teams. What could the Captain have done to have changed things? Very little... However that said, What does the Captain do... pick 2 wildcards, and choose an order of play.. Easylife, Maybe someone in that position is there to put their head on the line...
Posted 12:29 22nd September 2008
Rod Chadwick says...
Nick Faldo wasn't to blame for the loss of the Ryder Cup, but he could be criticized on two counts. First, and being two points behind going in to the final day, he should have put more strength up front. Instead he gambled on our being close to the USA towards the end of the day, where the strength he had placed would tell. The gamble failed, and one should not be gambling in such a critical situation. Secondly, he should have gone up to Sergio when he started the mind games at the start of his match, told him to calm down and concentrate on the job in hand for the sake of the team and for Europe. It might just have done the trick, although his opponent played extremely well, but then so might Sergio have done-he is certainly capable of doing so. Still, it was an exciting and fascinating three days, and I look forward to Celtic Manor in 2 years time
Posted 12:28 22nd September 2008
David Gallacher says...
Faldo has to shoulder some of the blame but the players take the brunt. Faldo must take the responsibilty for the singles line up. Garcia has an awful singles record but he was sent out 1st to get us a point. Kim was never put under any pressure and if he was he would have crumbled.
Posted 12:26 22nd September 2008
David Killen says...
Throughout his career Faldo has always been a loner - even when a Ryder Cup player. So giving him the captaincy was a very strange choice in the first place. His go it alone nature meant he chose not to take an experienced back-room team to the USA, and this is where, I believe, the match was lost before it even started. For example, who, or what, on earth is 'Spoonie' ?!
Posted 12:13 22nd September 2008
Paul Bates says...
Its difficult to blame Faldo when the Americans played so well, although you have to say a guy who is so clearly self absorbed was always a very odd choice of captain. It is so often the case that the very best individual players don't make the best managers / captains and I am convinced this is the case with Faldo who has never come across as possessing the necessary characteriscs to be a leader and motivator of men.
Posted 12:12 22nd September 2008
Paul Power says...
Faldo was actually very nervous and unfortunately he was poor it has to be said from the word go. Azinger got 4 picks to our 2 - one nil America. Faldo left Clarke out - two nil America. We seemed to be always on the back foot, Azinger wanted it more, much more. Faldo didn't inspire confidence, seemed to be more like a one man show. I hardly saw Olazabal once, he must have been wondering what he was even doing there. Faldo was like the lone ranger trying to be popular but it's hard to warm to him. Of the players, Poulter and McDowell were awesome. Our 3 reliables - Harri, Sergio and Westy - only contributed 2 points to the European total. Westy himself contributed 4 1/2 points in the K Club. Alongside Lee Westwood, Garcia was Europe's top points scorer in both 2004 and 2006 - what a change around.
Posted 12:08 22nd September 2008
Tara D says...
Well first off I have to say well done to Ian Poulter, I slated the hell out of him when he got picked-it wasnt because of him personally I suppose more so because Clarke wasnt picked, Well done though Poults. In terms of Faldo I dont think its right putting all the blame on him, at the end of the day it's the players who win matches. However I would have put more experienced players out first on Sunday to get some points on the board and to level it out a bit. In fairness though the Americans played fantastic golf and in my opinion are much better without Woods, there seems a bigger team spirt and Woods isn't a team player end of story. Boo Weekley really got on my nerves and a few others but thats Americans for ya!
Posted 12:06 22nd September 2008
David Brown says...
Faldo is single minded, focused and determined and it won him 6 Majors. We go on the attack if people are not steely enough and attack them if they are too self driven! It amazes me that in the UK we love to tear down rather than build up. If we had got behind the picks at the beginning we would have saved a lot of wasted energy and maybe talked about the positives some more. Remember that 10 of the 12 players are picked for Nick and many of them just did not perform. The 2 picks played some great golf with Ian Poulter being the man of the Ryder Cup. Apart from Tiger, I have not seen such fantastic golf from an individual in 5 rounds - truly inspiring. So let's get off Nick's back. We were beaten by the better team - it happens! Let's win it next time. for goodness sake lets get some perspective!
Posted 12:05 22nd September 2008
Dave Percival says...
How can anyone blame Faldo - the fault lies with the players - time and time again after a good approach shot onto the green a very sloppy putt was played - it seemed at times as if some of the European players had a putter in their hand for the first time or they need to go to specsavers.
Posted 12:04 22nd September 2008
Chris Baines says...
I don't think you can blame Faldo for the defeat, at the end of the day somebody has got to lose and for the first time in a long time it was Erope's turn. I think the US just played unbelievable golf and very few teams would have been able to live with them this week. As for the captain's picks I said before the match that Poulter was the right choice it was Casey I was worried about. Although he got 2 and a half points I think Clarke might have been a better asset. I still think Europe put in a great effort and am sure they will bounce back in 2 years.
Posted 11:44 22nd September 2008
Bill Kelly says...
It's easy to blame Faldo after the event and even easier because of his relationship with the press but, the simple fact of the matter is that the US were better - at golf - at commitment and passion. Notable exceptions in the Euro team were Poulter and Casey and others who gave their all. Sergio's antics were stupid and backfired and yes, perhaps playing the 'heavyweights' towards the end of the singles could be faulted. But that said, I still think the US would have won - they were the better team after all! Could've done without the continous chanting of Boo Boo and Boo-S-A which spoilt the viewing to the point where I turned the sound off! But - Superb Competition - can't wait for the next one!!
Posted 11:42 22nd September 2008