Wakefield Trinity • Captains
There must be many areas where a professional coach's opinion is vastly different to that of the supporter. Over Christmas I was chatting to my Dad who was fortunate enough to have watched the team from the late 1930`s and particularly enjoyed the 1960`s. Derek Turners name always comes up in these conversations, unfortunately I never saw DT play, but everyone who did, along with saying what a great player he was, also to a man, tell you that he was the greatest captain the club have ever had. People refer to his uncompromising style towards his own players, stories abound of DT pinning team mates to the changing room wall for not doing their job to his standards, of severe telling offs on the field etc etc. Supporters I speak to all seem to want a captain with this same attitude, an on field captain who will bollock players, who will demand more, who gets angry, who rabble rouses, who is prepared to shout and scream at his team mates when things do not go well.
It is my impression over the last few years that our coaches did not, do not want the same thing from their captains. They want a calm, manageable sort of chap. If we look at Jason Demitrou and Danny Kirmond both were absolutely brilliant off field Community captains. Both were often criticized by supporters for a lack of passion when things were going against us, poor body language when a try is scored against us, I remember Demitrou in a game at London getting stick off fans for sulking rather than getting stuck into his team mates. I think the fans want to see a captain lay down the law, get verbally stuck in, demand more etc etc. Demitrou and Kirmond did not have this in them and it seems from last season that neither does Miller.
Do we think that there is still a place in the modern game, modern life for a Derek Turner style captain. For me the best club captains I have seen over the recent years are Paul Wellens and Kevin Sinfield, both captained talented teams and both laid down the law on the field.
I must admit I do get frustrated when our players are huddled together having conceded a try and nobody takes ownership of the situation, nobody seems to demand better etc etc. Is this because the game has moved on, players are more professional, coaches are more concerned with systems than passion. I believe that defense is as much about attitude and desire as it is about ability and is the main area where a little of the old style, Derek Turner style would serve us well. I think there were a couple of occasions last season where you could see Danny Brough wanting to give his team mates the rounds of the kitchen but held back as Miller was the captain.
It is my impression over the last few years that our coaches did not, do not want the same thing from their captains. They want a calm, manageable sort of chap. If we look at Jason Demitrou and Danny Kirmond both were absolutely brilliant off field Community captains. Both were often criticized by supporters for a lack of passion when things were going against us, poor body language when a try is scored against us, I remember Demitrou in a game at London getting stick off fans for sulking rather than getting stuck into his team mates. I think the fans want to see a captain lay down the law, get verbally stuck in, demand more etc etc. Demitrou and Kirmond did not have this in them and it seems from last season that neither does Miller.
Do we think that there is still a place in the modern game, modern life for a Derek Turner style captain. For me the best club captains I have seen over the recent years are Paul Wellens and Kevin Sinfield, both captained talented teams and both laid down the law on the field.
I must admit I do get frustrated when our players are huddled together having conceded a try and nobody takes ownership of the situation, nobody seems to demand better etc etc. Is this because the game has moved on, players are more professional, coaches are more concerned with systems than passion. I believe that defense is as much about attitude and desire as it is about ability and is the main area where a little of the old style, Derek Turner style would serve us well. I think there were a couple of occasions last season where you could see Danny Brough wanting to give his team mates the rounds of the kitchen but held back as Miller was the captain.
Statistics: Posted by bellycouldtackle — Mon Jan 06, 2020 4:46 pm