Harrington wants one captain at a time

Padraig Harrington yesterday warned of the dangers of appointing a Ryder Cup captain more than one contest in advance.

Bernhard Langer's decision not to seek a second term at the K Club next year appears to leave only Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam in the running, despite Sandy Lyle and Jose Maria Olazabal expressing an interest in the role.

Woosnam, who served as Sam Torrance's vice-captain when Europe regained the trophy at The Belfry in 2002, is believed to be the preferred choice of the tour players' committee when they meet in Dubai on March 1st to discuss the issue.

Six-time major winner Faldo has been spoken of as a good candidate for the next contest in America in 2008 however, and the tour's tournament committee could break with tradition and earmark captains for future matches.

The odds on that happening shortened considerably yesterday when committee members Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley admitted it was a "distinct possibility," echoing the views of committee member and assistant captain at Oakland Hills, Joakim Haeggman.

Bjorn even went as far to suggest he sees Woosnam, Faldo, Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie taking the role for the next four contests, but Harrington is against such advance planning.

"There are plenty of reasons why you wouldn't want to name the next captain after 2006," insisted the Dubliner ahead of the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

"What if he had a row with six of the players? What if the next captain suffered from ill health? If a player suffers from ill health the team is only finalised two weeks before and you can replace him.

"You name one captain at a time." Harrington is not on the 15-man committee however and Bjorn indicated it was more a decision of when, rather than who gets the job.

"I think we are very much in the process of finding our next two captains, not so much who is our next captain," said the Dane, assistant captain to Langer during Europe's record victory in September.

"They both need to do it, simple as that. In my personal opinion I think we have the next four captains and it is a question of who does it when. Let Woosie and Faldo do the next two, not necessarily in that order, and the next two after have to be Monty and Ollie."

Bjorn hinted the more fiery Woosnam would be better suited to a home contest, with Faldo ideal for the 2008 clash in America, where he won three Masters titles and now spends part of his time commentating on television.

"Sam was a great captain in England and Bernhard was a fantastic captain in America," added Bjorn, who finished fourth in Singapore last month but missed the cut in his last event in Melbourne. "Bernhard doesn't let anything get to him whereas other captains might.

"Woosie is a very well liked person and he will bring a lot of fun and camaraderie to the team. Bernhard was more serious and I can see that more in Nick, but I think Nick will be a great captain.

"If you look at the last team there were a lot of players in that team who have the utmost respect for Faldo as a person and what he has done for the game.

He is more open now than he has ever been, more approachable and giving more of himself."

Ireland's hopes of a home captain have already been dashed, but Bjorn admits the appointment of an Irish vice-captain or assistant is a real possibility.

"It is up to the captain but it would be a smart move," Bjorn added. Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor Jnr would be the favourites for the role, Harrington adding: "I think they epitomise what a European Tour professional is.

"They have been out here for 20, 25 years and flown the flag for Europe for so long." Whoever is chosen in a fortnight's time, McGinley feels the European team will have a distinct advantage over their American counterparts.

"I was playing with Mark O'Meara last week and he was saying how fortunate we are that the players choose, that the captain is announced by his peers," added the Dubliner, still jaded by his 18-hour flight from America after competing at Pebble Beach.

"Immediately we are off to a head-start because it's not a political decision. In America it is a USGA decision." McGinley finished 30th last week on his tournament debut this season, the 38-year-old having undergone knee surgery in November last year.

"There was a lot more damage found when the surgeon got in there than he thought," added McGinley. "He recommended in May I had it done but being Ryder Cup year I decided to wait until the end of the season. I am obviously a bit behind schedule in terms of my practice and fitness, but I will get stronger over the next few weeks now I can do some gym work again."