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Hawksworth: captain is key

You've got to have great players but you've got to have a guy who can manage those players as well because the Ryder Cup is a different animal.

John Hawksworth
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So what makes a good Ryder Cup captain?

Is it experience of having played in the tournament before? Does it boil down to picking the right pairings? Or is it a question of man-management over the three days?

That was the burning issue as the countdown to the 2008 event continued on Golf Night's Golforum.

Nick Faldo is of course at the helm when Europe defend the trophy at Valhalla in Kentucky this autumn and for Tim Barter and former European Tour player John Hawksworth, he is the right choice.

Barter believes preparation will be crucial, but with anything up to four rookies looking likely to qualify for his side, he also believes Faldo's Ryder Cup know-how will be paramount.

"You want someone with a lot of experience, someone with Ryder Cup experience, someone with a bit of savvy in beating the Americans," he said.

"But I think experience is the key. Someone who has been there, done that, who is going to advise the rookies on what they're going to feel and how they should cope with the situation.

"Someone who's going to prepare well - I think we will see that from Faldo this time around. Someone who is really going to work, going to look at the golf course and work out which players he wants to pick for it in terms of his wildcards.

"So somebody very well-prepared, respected by the players and with some experience on which they can draw."

Different animal

Hawksworth, like Padraig Harrington before him, dismissed the notion that a captain simply has to send his players out on to the course.

He pointed to the different demands placed on him by 12 individuals in a tournament that is far cry from anything they are used to on the Tour.

"I think the captain's role is important," he said. "The team in Ireland a couple of years ago, they say anybody could have done that job and won - you've got to have great players but you've got to have a guy who can manage those players as well because the Ryder Cup is a different animal.

"People are totally different in a week like that. I think the captain's role is very important in helping the players. Some people like to do things in certain ways and it's a very jumpy week."

Hawksworth then went on to pick his next five Ryder Cup captains, claiming Faldo to be the perfect choice for Valhalla, but also championing the cause of forgotten men Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn to lead the European effort.

Here are his next five Ryder Cup captains...

2008 (Valhalla GC) - NICK FALDO
He's obviously already the choice for 2008. He's been instrumental in the Ryder Cup, with 11 appearances, he's won six majors, he's been right at the top of his game and has been superb in the Ryder Cup. Now he's been bedded in with the captaincy with the Seve Trophy he knows what to expect of it, in a way. I do think Nick Faldo is the right man.

2010 (Celtic Manor Resort) - IAN WOOSNAM
It has to be Woosie for Wales. He has that winning experience and it is fantastic for it to go to Wales - I just think they might bring him back for it. That was the best Ryder Cup for me, the one he won in Ireland. He's very well respected.

2012 (Medinah CC) - JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL
He'll be 46 years of age then, so he'll be just about ready to take on the mantle of being a captain. He has a fantastic record with Seve in the Ryder Cup - just amazing.

2014 (Gleneagles Hotel) - COLIN MONTGOMERIE
I'm going to go for Monty in Scotland at Glenageales. I know it's a bit of a romantic pick but Monty has always been superb in the Ryder Cup. He's got eight Order of Merits, he's been on five successful teams and he's not lost a singles match since 1991. He's been right at the front of battle and would be the man for me - it's just a shame sometimes he doesn't do it week in, week out, but he's a different animal in the Ryder Cup.

2016 (Hazeltine National) - THOMAS BJORN
By this time he'll be 45. I know how gutted he was not to play in Ireland two years ago, but he's been on two winning sides and Thomas, I think, will make a fantastic captain. It might come to him a little later on in his career, but that's the guy I would pick for 2016.