McAnuff- New captain

[Libertine]

I like it. Good call, imho. Smart, articulate player who has earned this honor and position of responsibility.

Congrats Jobi!!!! A very deserving honor...

[Cypry]

Good news as far as I'm concerned - seems to have the respect of most of the players and a level head, much less volatile than Mills...

[pea]

Open minded about this. Personally anyone who calls me a c*nt (or whatever he called me) for voicing a (loud) opinion has some way to go to prove himself in my book

Funny that, in my book him doing that was him proving himself

I'm joking of course but I'm pleased with this appointment, in a similar vein to Ingimarsson's captaincy, a humble, unassuming captain who supports the whole team and earns their respect in the way they go about their business at the club day in, day out, and not just for 90 minutes a week. As he said in his interview, we have plenty of leaders on the pitch (Hunt, Pearce, Jem, Harte, Howard) who will be vocal whether they're captain or not, so having a quietly influential and respected peacemaker as captain is just what we need. And thats not to say that Jobi doesn't show passion when he need to!

And I really hope whoever said Griffin should be captain was joking. Got into a fight with his own player at Stoke, by all accounts hardly spoke to anyone in his first few months here and has shown no signs of being a leader on the pitch. To be honest he shouldn't be a first team player next season when we have Cummings.

[Millsy]

Great choice, go Jobi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[facaldaqui]

Open minded about this. Personally anyone who calls me a c*nt (or whatever he called me) for voicing a (loud) opinion has some way to go to prove himself in my book, but that's no different to our previous incumbent showing a whole stand the finger.

Professionalism - nothing more than I'd expect from any professional footballer.
Consistency - goes missing in games sometimes. Has previously been considered by other club's fans as a player carried by his teammates.
Ability - undoubted ability, but not always shown.
Articulate wisdom - Kitson was articulate, ifnot always wise with what he said or did.

Not only that, he is a winger and wingers tend to be confidence players. You rarely see a winger made captain because of the personality qualities required to be a captain, qualities which rarely manifest themselves in wingers. But if our players respect the decision and think it's the right decision then fair enough. I need convincing that this is right, however, given the other obvious and seemingly better qualified candidates amongst the ranks.

But then again, what does my opinion matter?

I think you should give him credit for having a go back at you. If you were playing football and someone in the crowd had a go at you, you'd do the same, wouldn't you? Are our players supposed to go all meek and mild at such times just because the punters have paid to get in?

I don't think the wing's a good position to be captain from, but I expect it will be like rugby where you have a scrum captain--so I should think Griffin or Harte will martial the defence, and Leigertwood the midfield.

By the way, having played on the wing a bit, I'd point out that all wingers drift in and out of games. If you're not getting the ball and go infield looking for it, some bugger always orders you to get back on the wing.

[savage 4 england]

Perfect choice IMO.

He's intelligent. He's calm. I think he's consistent though it seems some will disagree. Yes he drifts in and out of influencing our attack at times. But I don't think he's a player who ever goes missing. He's always worked hard to track back and cover / help out his full back when I've seen him play, even when he's having no joy going forward. He frequently drifts into the middle of the park to influence the game and he's central to most of our best team play. I don't mean best attacks - Kebe does a lot there, but often as an individual which is different.

He's been around and seen a lot and whilst the comparison with Kitson in terms of more than the average footballers Intelligence, I think he's got better judgement and is more down to earth about what he's saying, Kitson was more up himself.

Completely agree.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Fantastic choice for captain. Personally I think he's been our most consistent player since the Coppell era ended but many may disagree. Obviously cares about the club and the community which shouldn't be underestimated. The captain should be a leader on & off the pitch ala Murty & Mills categorically was not.

Thought when he got the armband last season he always upped his performance.

Think he has real potential to become a Reading legend. Well done Jobi & great decision by BM.

[Ian Royal]

I'd add I think this is another sign that McAnuff will play out his career with us.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Yes you're probably right. Especially now Mikele is here permanently as well.

[Man Friday]

My reservations mirror those of Handbags, particularly the "going missing in games" issue. I can't forget the 3-1 loss at WBA a few seasons ago when he really didn't want to be there. We'll see how it goes. Good luck Jobi! When you're good, you're very, very good.

[handbags_harris]

Open minded about this. Personally anyone who calls me a c*nt (or whatever he called me) for voicing a (loud) opinion has some way to go to prove himself in my book, but that's no different to our previous incumbent showing a whole stand the finger.

Where and what did you say that made him call you c*nt?

Blackpool away, February 2010, 5 minutes to go, we're 2-0 down and playing poorly which was a lot to do with it I suppose, a frustrating day. Anyway, a very good attack where we match them for numbers with more getting forward grinds to a halt as McAnuff gets the ball, attempts to take his full back on, fails, regains the ball, passes it back to Bertrand and then completely fails to get himself back onside as the Blackpool defence step up 2 yards. He knew where he was (it was right in front of us), he knew he was offside, he should have either communicated to Bertrand not to play the pass to him or got himself back onside. He didn't, and after the inevitable free kick I just shouted to him in frustration "f*ckin basics Jobi" as he started to trot back. He turned around, said "you what?" to me, so I repeated it. I didn't hear him call me a c*nt myself as he turned his back to continue running, but a couple of posters did hear him say it.

[pea]

http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread.php?t=38893

Seems to have come as a big shock to Watford fans... who apparently also think we're in the Premier League.

[Millsy]

Whilst I'm happy as I like Jobi, my only concern is if he has the ferocity.

He seems a decent guy, intelligent etc as Ian says. But do we need some Parky/Murty/Mills in there to get us going.

Still overall I'm pleased as I really rate him and if this means he'll start more games then so be it!

[Ian Royal]

Open minded about this. Personally anyone who calls me a c*nt (or whatever he called me) for voicing a (loud) opinion has some way to go to prove himself in my book, but that's no different to our previous incumbent showing a whole stand the finger.

Where and what did you say that made him call you c*nt?

Blackpool away, February 2010, 5 minutes to go, we're 2-0 down and playing poorly which was a lot to do with it I suppose, a frustrating day. Anyway, a very good attack where we match them for numbers with more getting forward grinds to a halt as McAnuff gets the ball, attempts to take his full back on, fails, regains the ball, passes it back to Bertrand and then completely fails to get himself back onside as the Blackpool defence step up 2 yards. He knew where he was (it was right in front of us), he knew he was offside, he should have either communicated to Bertrand not to play the pass to him or got himself back onside. He didn't, and after the inevitable free kick I just shouted to him in frustration "f*ckin basics Jobi" as he started to trot back. He turned around, said "you what?" to me, so I repeated it. I didn't hear him call me a c*nt myself as he turned his back to continue running, but a couple of posters did hear him say it.

Seems a bit harsh to criticise a player for not getting straight back onside in the 85th minute and his full back for passing to him when he's offside. You seem to have admitted that I admit.

Not that I'm excusing him dropping the c-bomb, which we aren't sure about, although it seems like it may have been intended for just his benefit which is slightly different to just throwing it out there for everyone.

Then again, if he was calling for the ball he was a very silly boy.

But I'm a colours to the mast Jobi fan, so I'm biased.

[Half Man Half Biscuit]

Good appointment, I like the man.

[handbags_harris]

Seems a bit harsh to criticise a player for not getting straight back onside in the 85th minute and his full back for passing to him when he's offside. You seem to have admitted that I admit.

Not that I'm excusing him dropping the c-bomb, which we aren't sure about, although it seems like it may have been intended for just his benefit which is slightly different to just throwing it out there for everyone.

Then again, if he was calling for the ball he was a very silly boy.

But I'm a colours to the mast Jobi fan, so I'm biased.

Sorry, a slightly ambiguous explanation of the situation - he made no attempt to look to see if he was offside despite clearly knowing he was likely to have been as soon the defence stepped up. Either way, he responded which I was half looking for. I knew he could hear me due to his proximity to me on the pitch, but what I said was no different to the usual criticism that I and many others have levelled at many players without rebuke. Still doesn't mean I deserved to be called a c*nt for what I felt was a perfectly valid criticism...

[Victor Meldrew]

The captain's role in professional football really is insignificant.
He has no say in tactical decisions and generally does little more than go up for the toss at the start of the game and then claps his hands or shouts "come on" now and again.
More importantly (although it didn't apply to Mills) I am with those who think that this is a statement by both him and the club that he is with us for the longer term.

[Royalee]

Happy enough with this, decent player.

[Hoop Blah]

The captain's role in professional football really is insignificant.
He has no say in tactical decisions and generally does little more than go up for the toss at the start of the game and then claps his hands or shouts "come on" now and again.
More importantly (although it didn't apply to Mills) I am with those who think that this is a statement by both him and the club that he is with us for the longer term.

I'd agree that the skipper doesn't have a real impact on tactics but they will have a lot of influence over the mentality of the squad and helping out the coaching staff to create the right atmosphere to succeed.

It's a position of influence and behind the scenes will have more to it than we see as punters in the stand.

[Ian Royal]

Seems a bit harsh to criticise a player for not getting straight back onside in the 85th minute and his full back for passing to him when he's offside. You seem to have admitted that I admit.

Not that I'm excusing him dropping the c-bomb, which we aren't sure about, although it seems like it may have been intended for just his benefit which is slightly different to just throwing it out there for everyone.

Then again, if he was calling for the ball he was a very silly boy.

But I'm a colours to the mast Jobi fan, so I'm biased.

Sorry, a slightly ambiguous explanation of the situation - he made no attempt to look to see if he was offside despite clearly knowing he was likely to have been as soon the defence stepped up. Either way, he responded which I was half looking for. I knew he could hear me due to his proximity to me on the pitch, but what I said was no different to the usual criticism that I and many others have levelled at many players without rebuke. Still doesn't mean I deserved to be called a c*nt for what I felt was a perfectly valid criticism...

No, I understand exactly why you were frustrated and said what you did. It seems as you say a basic, but under normal circumstances still minor, mistake to make. Emotions were obviously involved in perhaps making you vent when otherwise you wouldn't and certainly McAnuff sounds like he should have known better. But equally, he was likely to be feeling similarly frustrated and probably knackered, so I don't blame him for being pissed off. But I certainly don't disagree his reaction was wrong.

Personally I see a difference between that reaction and the Mills reaction... which in Mills case seemed to me to be a worse response to less provocation. Even then I still see that as pretty insignificant. The Big difference for me though comes in the context of how both players conduct themselves the rest of the time.