Greer Stays as Captain

[severnside gull]

Greer doesn't pick himself to play, the manager does.

Greer hasn't selected himself as captain, the manager has.

I'm saying this because it has irked me quite how readily some Albion fans have given stick to Gordon Greer over the last couple of years or so. Since the 'sideways move' he made from Swindon he has been the mainstay of our backline during a period of significant success for our club built, largely, upon a miserly defence. There can be few, if any, players in our history that have such a low goals conceded per game average as Greer.

Beyond all that, he is a leader on the pitch, although I get some do not like the way he can berate those who have erred.

Off the pitch he always comes across very well indeed too, as I'm all of those with kids who have asked him for a photo and/or autograph will testify.

When someone suggested earlier in the summer that three or four players would leave and one of them would be a "surprise" many (myself included) thought Greer might go in order to obtain a fee. He is one of the few candidates for departure that I can think of who would bring in a reasonable bid and without whom we could probably manage (subject to getting in an Upson or Hughes type replacement.
Now he is staying and based on form over the last few seasons will rightly be a regular alongside Dunk. We will get another CB for sure and it will be interesting to see if it is someone with a season or so left in the locker or a youngster like Nelson at Plymouth or his continental equivalent.
Bruno or Calde stepping in as skipper in Greer's absence makes perfect sense. Orderly transition rather than wholesale change is Hughton's way.

 

[JBizzle]

This isn't a headline. Greer was always going to stay as skipper and rightly so. He's a good leader, a good influence and nowhere near as bad as people like to make out. Captain doesn't mean guaranteed starter either.

 

[albionite]

When someone suggested earlier in the summer that three or four players would leave and one of them would be a "surprise" many (myself included) thought Greer might go in order to obtain a fee. He is one of the few candidates for departure that I can think of who would bring in a reasonable bid and without whom we could probably manage (subject to getting in an Upson or Hughes type replacement.
Now he is staying and based on form over the last few seasons will rightly be a regular alongside Dunk. We will get another CB for sure and it will be interesting to see if it is someone with a season or so left in the locker or a youngster like Nelson at Plymouth or his continental equivalent.
Bruno or Calde stepping in as skipper in Greer's absence makes perfect sense. Orderly transition rather than wholesale change is Hughton's way.

Who said three to four would leave with one being a surprise ? If it was noobha he hasn't got one thing right yet . Talks more out of his back side than Perseus does.

 

[murraymints4brighton]

I too am a bit bemused as to the constant attacks on Greer. Last season he wasn't at his consistent best, but that was largely down to Hyppia's tactical naivety in pushing the full backs so far forward and starting with a lightweight midfield two. Every game this would leave Greer completely exposed, often having to foul or just get something on it, painting him in a bad light.

Up until that point he had been part of a deeper lying defence that had a link into midfield. Take that away, and a man close to 35 exposed down the middle and on both flanks would look inept in any team. That said, we were still the 6th best in the league based on goals conceded and have just added two quality full backs to the team.

We really should be venting our frustrations at the lack of creative midfielder's we have signed, not at what is one of the best defences in the league, containing one of its longest serving players/captains.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just because he is club captain, does not mean he is a guaranteed starter.

This.

Greer doesn't pick himself to play, the manager does.

Greer hasn't selected himself as captain, the manager has.

I'm saying this because it has irked me quite how readily some Albion fans have given stick to Gordon Greer over the last couple of years or so. Since the 'sideways move' he made from Swindon he has been the mainstay of our backline during a period of significant success for our club built, largely, upon a miserly defence. There can be few, if any, players in our history that have such a low goals conceded per game average as Greer.

Beyond all that, he is a leader on the pitch, although I get some do not like the way he can berate those who have erred.

Off the pitch he always comes across very well indeed too, as I'm all of those with kids who have asked him for a photo and/or autograph will testify.

This.

This isn't a headline. Greer was always going to stay as skipper and rightly so. He's a good leader, a good influence and nowhere near as bad as people like to make out. Captain doesn't mean guaranteed starter either.

And this.

Greer makes mistakes, but then so do most of the players. Every manager in the last 6 years has made Greer the club captain. This may just indicate that he makes a good club captain.

 

[Cloughie]

You don't realise the impact that players like Greer have on the team and consequently the club, until they've left. I hope he can stay injury free because his organising at the back is vital for us.

 

[NooBHA]

Just because he is club captain, does not mean he is a guaranteed starter.

I don't think it guarantees him being a starter but i think it suggests that at the moment he is in his plans to be a regular starter. He didn't make Russell martin Captain at Norwich because he wasn't sure he would play regularly after signing Stephen Whittaker

 

[Rookie]

Don't agree with much of what Hughton has done since he has been here, but firmly behind this decision. Greer is a natural leader and still a dependable player. I doubt he will play every game, but you don't go around changing the club captain for the sake of it.

 

[LamieRobertson]

So refreshing to read some sensible calm measured posts ..a welcome relief personally

 

[ATFC Seagull]

You can always pin every goal in football to a mistake by someone or pick out where someone could have done better to prevent it. Probably 2/3 of the time this is one of the CB's. The problem last year I felt was that our failure to score goals meant that that one goal conceded was always so crucial, which meant we always found ourselves watching the highlight on the concourse blaming that one blip by Greer or Dunk or Stockdale, when they were far from the problem and generally doing their job very well.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Hughton has announced that Greer will be captain again this season.
Does this mean no CB signing is imminent?

Shirley it's time for a change. Would like to see Kayal take over personally.

Noooo, GG is our captain and quite rightly so in my opinion. Yes l know he has an awful lot of knockers on NSC, and yes l know he is getting old and cranky, l know he is a yard slower than he was, but tell me, who else can do a better job?

His distribution is still pretty good, he has great positional skills, and can motivate others on the pitch, Kayal wasn't even captain at the team we signed him from.

Yes, Gordon Greer still does it for me.

 

[Black Rod]

What does it matter who wears an armband? This isn't cricket where the captain is making game changing decisions or rugby where he is the only one allowed to speak to the referee

All a captain does in football is lead the team out and call heads or tails. The English's obsession with who should get the armband is something I have never understood

 

[El Sid]

Noooo, GG is our captain and quite rightly so in my opinion. Yes l know he has an awful lot of knockers on NSC, and yes l know he is getting old and cranky, l know he is a yard slower than he was, but tell me, who else can do a better job?

His distribution is still pretty good, he has great positional skills, and can motivate others on the pitch, Kayal wasn't even captain at the team we signed him from.

Yes, Gordon Greer still does it for me.

Was Brian Horton a captain before he came to Brighton?
Probably the best we've ever had and Kayal displays many of his leadership attributes.
I not a Greer hater, far from it, but would like to see more obvious passion in leadreship on the pitch which I believe Kayal will provide in central midfield.

 

[pishhead]

Obsession with who is the captain is ridiculous. You need leaders and characters on the pitch. In Greer, Bruno, Calde, Stockdale, Rosenior, kayal,Stephens and Crofts we have the right types at any one time who can all lead and be vocal when needs be.

 

[Lurchy]

Isn't it only in Britain that people make a fuss over who wears the Captains armband? Traditionally in many countries abroad it's worn by the player on the pitch who has most experience, if we're going down that route than it makes sense that Greer remains Captain with Calderon and Bruno as the main back ups. Doesn't mean that we won't have leaders in other sections of the beach.

 

[Justice]

Greer is better than Keogh IMO the few times I watched Keogh last season he was all over the place, have no idea why he is so highly rated by some on here.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Fortunately this announcement doesn't actually mean anything, Greer might wear the arm band but it seemed quite clear to me that Kayal was the player directing the team anyway.

 

[8ace]

The Big Man
Loved it when he smashed that Southampton **** even though he got sent off.
At least he won't have to play alongside that muppet Halford this season.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I find this an odd decision. Kayal will start every game when fit and looks like he is captaincy material. Dunk is more likely to stay if he is offered the captaincy and it could take his game to another level.

Greer has thirty games in him, tops. He really struggled at times last season and the captaincy seemed to hinder him rather than help him. I think he should be our third choice centre back. Poor decision from Hughton.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I love the simpletons who have decided Kayal should be captain purely because he's quite good and appears to shout a lot.