Ryder Cup - Your View

Last updated: 20th September 2008  

Ryder Cup - Your View

Faldo: controversial selections

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The action is unfolding at Valhalla and the controversy is keeping pace.

Was Nick right to drop Lee? Are the Boo-boys going over the top? Has Poulter justified his selection? Can Europe battle back?

From team selections to wild predictions,crowd behaviour to captaincy style, everyone has a view.

Share your thoughts on what is happening at the 37th Ryder Cup and remember you can follow it all live and interactive with Sky Sports and skysports.com.

Post your comments below...

Comments (69)

David Brown says...

I agree with the comments made by Colin Duggan, it is a shame. having been a lifelong fan of Faldo, I believe he did what he thought was best, no one should be criticised for that. But what annoys me more is, all the so called experts that crawl from behind their safe desks to level criticism, the likes of Mark Roe, Robert Lee, how many Ryder Cups did they play in or get involved in, oh..that will be none then. Do yourselves a favour lads and do what your good at, hosting a highlights show!

Posted 08:00 23rd September 2008

Jim Walker says...

Reading Westwood's comments seems like a bad loser talking. The American support were no worse in fact probably better than what the Americans experience in Europe, grow up and accept you were well beaten, like a man.

Posted 07:30 23rd September 2008

Robin Butler says...

Still can't believe all the people blaming Faldo, saying he didn't create a team spirit. From what I've heard today from all the players they have all backed him. I must admit I had my doubts when I saw his picks for Saturday, but to be fair, they worked. Had Faldo been captain at home, had the chance to set the course up exactly how he wanted it, encouraged the home crowd to cheer missed putts ( no captain with an ounce of decency would say that, let alone repeat it), I'm sure we would all be celebrating him. Just think how many times we have won in America, to realise how hard his job was. And maybe if our big players had produced a few performances we could have pulled it off. Faldo will get my vote for the captaincy in 2010. Just hope I'll be there to see it.

Posted 01:58 23rd September 2008

Paul Brooks says...

Well played USA.I hope they are now interested in the Ryder Cup.Some had said they preferred the Presidents Cup,probably because they could win that competition. Why Captain Faldo did not put Ian poulter out first was a bit odd because the so called big guns were off target,an early point could have made all the difference. Never mind it just adds more interest in two years time.

Posted 22:11 22nd September 2008

Kenny Lamborn says...

well, it was about time for us. We brought rookies with no baggage to beat ya all. At 6-2 in last eight matches, you all shouldnt complain, its much better than our puny 2-6. Your heavies didnt play well, we know that feeling too. But Harrington has had a heck of a year!. Hope I live to see another. K

Posted 20:36 22nd September 2008

Samuel O'donnell says...

I'm sorry guys however i have to disagree and say i believe that nick faldo is to blame. how can you pick a singles line up the way he did? yes,he asked the players where they wanted to play however he is the captain and must look out for the best of the team. why were the form guys not at the top of the team sheet to get the points on the board early? Remember we went into the singles 2 points down. i feel that we needed points on the board early to gain a bit of momentum but nick as the captain hide behind the players and chose to let them captain themselves.Having said all this i must agree that too many so called big players didn't perform. I now have to advocate to bring back field marshal Montgomerie. A man with a bit of heart and real class.

Posted 19:40 22nd September 2008

James Nolan says...

Congrats to the USA team you played well to win the cup. The putts seem to drop for you where in the K Club they dropped for Europe. I would not get excited over the behaviour of some of the crowd or the players. The one thing that gets to me is why the pros have to blame someone or thing for hitting a poor shot. Myself and friends just blame ourselves. congrats to skysports for the coverage and esp. to the commentators and esp. Butch Harmon for his unbiased view at all times. He has faced defeat the last number of times and he will give credit where credit is due. So come on guys no excuses we got beaten by better TARGET golfers as this course was set up to suit the USA team but having said that our guys played very well and can hold their heads up high.. Nick Faldo was not playing so no blame can be put on him.

Posted 19:16 22nd September 2008

Dean Murphy says...

The British press, like a pack of un-educated hounds were after Faldo from the day he was named Captain. They should look at the general publics view that the players picked were good enough to do the job out there but didn't. No one doubts they tried as hard as they could but sometimes it is just not enough. Faldo was meticulous in preperation for the team, the team has supported this, this is what Faldo is about. He cannot swing the clubs for them! He cannot putt the balls that were woefully missed at times in this tournament. If anything is to come out of this Ryder Cup it is a realisation that no matter what Faldo does it will never be enough for the press. The only disgrace is that their employers allow them to short change the British public with their inaccurate and blinkered reporting of a true sporting icon and patriotic man.

Posted 17:53 22nd September 2008

David G says...

Fine golf from the USA team and they deserved to win.However most ot the team and the crowd have no idea on how to treat foreigners with respect. (This is also illustratedin the way Americans conduct their foreign policy!) .I suppose however one cannot expect anything else from a bunch of mongrels

Posted 14:32 22nd September 2008

Colin Duggan says...

I feel desperately sorry for our most successful golfer that he had the misfortune to be captain of a team that displayed so many gutless performances from our so-called 'Big Guns. Messrs Garcia, Harrington and Westwood between them Played 13, Won 0 and contributed a massive 2.5 points. Thanks guys, you were pathetic. The loudmouths didn't win it, we gave it to them.

Posted 13:08 22nd September 2008

Clark Thomas says...

The USA deserved the Ryder Cup simply because they played the better golf at key moments - particularly in putting. However the Euopean team allowed them to play better golf by not applying pressure. I dont think Faldo and Olazabal were present enough on the course encouraging their team and the day 3 play list was frankly naive - leaving the door open to the US. Easy to say from my chair - looking forward to 2010 at Celtic manor!

Posted 12:54 22nd September 2008

Colin Mclachlan says...

Poulter and, to a lesser extent Casey, fully vindicated Faldo's picks but his placing of the players for the singles defies belief. He obviously had learned nothing from Curtis Strange's same mistake in 2002. From his cringe-making remarks at the opening ceremony to the singles debacle he has been a disaster. Lee Westwood seems to have a chip on his shoulder when he doesnt do too well. His remarks about the crowd were out of order since the general consensus of europeans at the event along with the British press seems to be that the crowd were vocal but fair. He also had a very public gripe about the greens after the gleneagles event.

Posted 12:48 22nd September 2008

Mark Barry says...

I don't think we can blame Nick Flado as many of our stars did not turn up with their top game. The so called stars were outshone buy the rookies. Fantastic displays by Wilson (I thought he be our weakest link forget the singles match no one would have beating Weekley with the crowd reactions he was getting) McDowell, and Rose. Ian Poulter was without a shadow of a doubt our best player not for the fact he scored 4 points even in the game he lost you could see he was up for it. Our problem was none of the others were. So he may have had a point to prove by god he did. Hope he can take this into his game for next season and win a major. We lost by having too many poor displays from Casey (our biggest culprit) Garcia, Harrington, and Stenson. Faldo¿s tactics are the only quibble I could argue with but then again if Casey won his game it would have come down to the last 4 matches and we were strong and that exactly where we had our super stars. Casey¿s match was the turning point for me and to make two cardinal errors on 15 (overshooting the green and then that bunker shot). If he had won it would have been all square after Rose match at 10 ¿ 10 game on.

Posted 12:46 22nd September 2008

Graham Rudd says...

Firstly I would like to congratulate the American team on victory even though some could do with a lesson in manners. The only critism I would direct at Nick Faldo was that he should of had a couple of assistants helping him and Ollie because he was a bit like Seve in 97, trying to be everywere at once. The biggest dissapontment for me was that Europes big guns didnt stand up and be counted. If it wasnt for the likes of Poulter( who im big enough to admit proved me wrong) by his selection) Rose and McDowell it could have been a record defeat. This was the kick up the backside the Europeans needed as I feel that due to media hype they felt that all they needed to do was to turn up and get handed the trophy. Roll on 2010 and lets get the Ryder Cup back

Posted 12:28 22nd September 2008

George Griffiths says...

Brilliant a golfer though Nick Faldo was he would not have been my preferred choice for Captain and I am a major fan of his! It was patently obvious that the Americans were better motivated as a team than Europe and Azinger's motivational skills spread through the whole US team. Nick's single minded approach to his own golf does not work in a team environment and it clearly showed at the closing ceremony. I also feel that the appalling behaviour of some of the US crowd is in the poorest taste possible in sport. It echoes similar poor behaviour towards visiting sportsmen and should be universally condemned. The US teams success will be short lived as I have no doubts that we will recapture the Ryder Cup in 2010.

Posted 12:10 22nd September 2008

Nick Lawrence says...

There will be strong arguments that NF was justified in his selection of Poulter and Casey because of their performances, in particular Poulter. However, should captains picks be based on recent form. There is a chasm of difference between playing for yourself and as part of a team as e.g. Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie have shown in different ways. My view is that although NF's picks played well, the selection of Clarke and Montgomerie could well have lifted the other 10 more and had a huge psyshological effect in Europe's favour. Time and time again, those two, in particular Montgomerie have shown that their form in individual tournaments is irrelevant and performed out of their skins for the team. So picking Poulter and Casey produced one, perhaps two good performances, but the presence of Clarke and Montgomerie could well have produced 12 !

Posted 11:37 22nd September 2008

Eddie O'brien says...

Well done Europe for making a game of it. You had an egotistical captain who did nothing to enhance the team spirit. It was clear that he offered no inspiration to the senior members of his team who clearly did not enjoy playing for the man. His performance though during the press conferences and in particular the opening ceremony were an embarrassment. Did the Americans ever receive any more motivation for winning the cup than wanting to stuff it to this old Dinosaur with no personality of note. Good riddence Faldo, lets get a proper captain in for next time !

Posted 11:33 22nd September 2008

Jacqueline Matthews says...

Well done Europe, you played your hearts out. All down to putts, no one can castigate you when the Americans kept acheiving outstandingly long putts, it was their time, it will be yours in 2010 I have no doubt, especially with players like Poulter, Mcdowell, Rose, Wilson and Soren Hansen on our side.

Posted 11:30 22nd September 2008

Steve Rowe says...

Faldo did OK. Poulter was an inspired pick and we didn't see any evidence of a lack of togetherness in the EU team. The captains picks will always create debate but you have to go with form and confidence. At the end of the day, USA played better golf - some of their scoring on the last day was phenomenal. You know what you'll get from the US fans and their team did a great job of givng them something to shout about and getting them totally involved. Roll on Celtic Manor 2010!

Posted 09:18 22nd September 2008

Mike Botha says...

Come on guys, we are doing the same thing that other sports do to their players. NF made the best decisions at the time with team players etc. Why crucify the bloke becaues they lost the trophy? No one should blame the players for doing their best, all it means that the US team were better on the day. Are you trying to tell me that you've never lost a match to a better person???

Posted 07:59 22nd September 2008

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