Go Hard or Go Home with Colin Hendry: What is a Good Captain?

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5 August, 2024

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So – what’s a captain… and what’s a good captain? If you aren’t a football player, just a fan, then it can be unclear as to what the role of a football captain entails. To the casual observer, it just looks like the guy who’s been there the longest and has the armband. The, to the more avid supporter it’s the player who take the biggest responsibility on the pitch – the one who gees his team up when the going gets tough – and the guy who keeps his team working together effectively.

However, to his team mates he’s so much more. So, what are the roles and responsibilities of the captain and, more importantly, what makes for a good captain? We asked Colin Hendry what he made of this and who he sees as the best team captains past and present.

The Role of a Captain

The captain has many roles to his team, so what are the main responsibilities? Let’s take a look:

Being a Representative for the Team

Firstly, the captain should represent his team effectively when it comes to decisions about the game. For example, before the game, the captain is the one responsible for representing his team to the referee and the opposing side. He is responsible for the coin toss at the start of the game. The captain is also the player that is responsible for mediating between players and the referee if there are decisions that cannot be agreed on.

Mediating Between the Coach / Manager and Team

A good captain is the player that acts as a go between with the manager / coach and the team. As Hendry says, “the manager often has meetings with the captain before training. Sometimes there are times when players don’t get on with managers; a squad can have 28+ players in it and only 11 players will start – that doesn’t always go down well. The captain can gauge the mood of the team and report back to the manager. A good captain should always respect the manager and coach. I used to have meetings with Kenny on a Friday to talk through issues and make sure everything is okay. The captain has to be the bridge between the manager and the team.

If a team is playing a lot of tough games, then the captain needs to tell the manager if the training needs to tone down a little bit. The manager needs to listen to the captain for the club’s feelings. He can help organize the schedule and make sure that they are not stretching the players too much.

This is especially the case with international managers as they don’t have the players as much so aren’t as aware of how far the player can be stretched. However, it’s a bit different now with appointed fitness coaches who are paid to be responsible for a lot of that nowadays – it’s all more scientific.” So, if there’s a problem between the manager and the dressing room, the captain should be mediating.

Being a Leader

Simply put, a good captain is a good leader. As Hendry says “A good captain needs to be a role model on and off the pitch. He should be able to control the game play; the captain should be able to keep the players level headed on the pitch if things get a little heated; he should also be able to slow down and speed up or slow down the play and control and organize the players. the captain  really should stand out on the pitch”.

He should also be a role model off the pitch – he shouldn’t be pictured going out and causing troubles, stirring up negative headlines. The team captain should be looked up to by players, fans and the general public. They represent the club and need to behave as such. The captain is responsible for helping younger players become better.

Choosing a Team Captain

Obviously, you can’t just give the captaincy to anyone. So, what should be considered when awarding captaincy? Well, firstly the captain can’t just be the player with the hardest kick, the highest goal scorer or the fastest runner. The captain needs to be highly respected by all players and promote hard work and honest play. If the captain does not fit this bill, it can cause negative reactions within the team and outside it.

Another this to bear on mind, as Hendry states, is the placement of the player. “A lot of the best captains have been central defenders or midfielders – players who are always in the middle of the action and who are always where the game play is. They can then try to influence the play more.

In my opinion it doesn’t work as well if the captain is the goalie as they are not as able to control the game as well from their position. It’s also difficult for a striker to be captain… although not impossible as there have been good captains that are strikers – such as Totti.

I think that a good captain should be a good organizer, great communicator and a winner. These are the three main things to consider when choosing your captain.”