Langer - Nick making mistake

Langer poses with Faldo after Europe's win in 1995

I think he's making a mistake by not having someone with each group.

Bernhard Langer on Nick Faldo
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Former Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer feels Nick Faldo is making a mistake by not taking a bigger support team to Valhalla.

The German captained Europe to a record nine-point victory at Oakland Hills in 2004 and did so with three men supporting him - vice-captain Anders Forsbrand and assistants Joakim Haeggman and Thomas Bjorn.

However, Faldo will head to Kentucky with just one man to help him - Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal.

Faldo originally selected Olazabal and Paul McGinley as vice-captains but, after McGinley resigned his role to try and qualify for the team, opted against making any further additions to his backroom staff.

Victorious 2006 captain Ian Woosnam - who had four assistants - has already expressed his concerns at the decision and Langer has now echoed the Welshman's sentiments.

"I think he's making a mistake by not having someone with each group," said Langer ahead of the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

"I don't think he necessarily needs any more input from anyone if he feels he and Olly have plenty of experience, but I think once you have the four teams on the course I know as a captain I would like to have one person with each group and give me information.

"I can't be everywhere and I need information. I need to know how they're playing, what's going on and I think he would be better off if he had somebody going with each group."

When asked whether McGinley should have been reinstated after his failuire to qualify for the team as a player, Langer continued: "Possibly, and I think maybe someone else as well.

"Why not? Paul didn't make the team and if he is available and would like to go, why not? Paul has been there a number of times and would be a great asset."

Difficult wildcard decision

The German did go on to back Faldo over his wildcard picks, insisting captains always come in for criticism regardless of their decision.

Langer feels Faldo made his choice of Ian Poulter and Paul Casey with the course set-up at Valhalla very much in mind and explained the important role assistant Forsbrand had played in his choice of Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald in 2004.

"Any captain has a difficult time to pick two out of five, six or seven players," he stated. "I'm sure he (Faldo) thought about it in light of their form lately or what kind of golf course they are facing and which player might suit the course better.

"Nick is very experienced and hopefully he gave it enough thought and made the right decisions.

"You always get some kind of criticism. In my position I felt especially bad for Freddie Jacobson because he was next in line on the money list and the points list and must have thought 'I should be in'.

"And he would have been in but I was thinking about Oakland Hills. Freddie is a great putter but he's not the greatest driver and I knew how the golf course was set up because I sent Anders Forsbrand there two or three weeks prior to check it out.

"He reported back to me and I felt Luke Donald would be better off, hitting it straighter than Jacobson. I had to make that decision in light of hoping to win the Ryder Cup and not being popular with my colleagues."

Despite his experience as a winning captain, Langer revealed that Faldo has not consulted him ahead of the forthcoming match in Kentucky.

Not surprised

However, the German is not surprised and claims he will not be looking to force his knowledge upon the Englishman.

"He's not going to ring me and I'm not going to ring him," Langer added.

"He's played in 11 Ryder Cups, he's played under five different captains, he should know most of the things he needs to know.

"If he calls me and has certain questions I would be happy to talk about it but I'm not going to push myself on him."