• Ryder Cup

Monty fears 'Captain Useless' tag

Colin Montgomerie is starting to feel the pressure © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Montgomerie 'delighted' to be facing Woods
  
• Profile: Colin Montgomerie

Colin Montgomerie fears he will be labelled 'Captain Useless' if Europe fail to win the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor next month.

Europe have named a strong line-up; a blend of youth and experience, with Ryder Cup veterans Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood playing alongside rookies Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer.

Former captain Nick Faldo became a figure for ridicule after he tried to conceal his pairings as sandwich choices when Europe suffered their first defeat since 1999 at Valhalla two years ago, and with Europe favourites to win on home turf, Montgomerie is beginning to feel the pressure.

"I'll probably be called 'Captain Useless' if we lose," Montgomerie said. "That seems to go with the territory these days. I do wonder if the role of the captain is overplayed, since we never get to hit a shot. You see it in football all the time. It is never the star player who is playing badly who gets it in the neck if his team loses, it is always the manager who gets the blame. I do think, though, the captain has an important role to play."

Montgomerie is already thinking about his speech that he will give to the players at the opening ceremony before they head out onto the course, and he hopes his words will inspire his team to victory.

"There's definitely a game that goes on between the two captains and it seems to make a difference psychologically as to what happens when the action begins," he said. "Look at the recent history of the event and it is the team whose captain gave the best speech who start well the next day and set the tone for the match.

"I know how important it is from how it made me feel when I was sitting there. In 2004 Bernhard Langer gave a brilliant ambassadorial speech and we lost only one and half points on the opening day. Paul Azinger might have given the best American speech in recent times two years ago and his team came flying out of the blocks.

"My job is to make sure my team leave that opening ceremony and they're thinking: 'Captain Monty, I think we're going to be all right in his hands.'"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.