Craig gower steps down as captain...

Craig gower steps down as captain...

Don't know what to make of this.

Pleased for Clubby (if he is pleased!) but I don't recall any improvement when Brian Mac replaced McLinden as Captain with Purdo.

We shall see.

Strange to say the least

The article goes straight onto the back foot explaining Gower is contracted to .....

You could read into this all sorts of things. Either way I don't think it's positive; Gower leading the team was for me a no-brainer.

Oh and also, from a pedantic point of view I take exception to someone from Gravesend being referred to as a 'proud londoner'!

Perhaps Growler is just fed up with beating his head against a brick wall with no response from the team; still the poor sod has only got another season to go.

Clubb as skipper......Hmmm.....well let`s hope he can stay fit long enough to give it a decent go.

TR does nor have many tricks left in the locker. Let's hope it is good for Clubby, CG and the team.

I suspect this is Gower signalling he is on the way out, forget the contract. this makes no sense whatsoever.......................................

agreed, I reckon he's on his way

If CG is on his way, may also explain Bishay's promotion. It does not look good for next season.

Can't see anything positive in this, except for Clubby and good luck to him.

Definite sign of trouble at t'Stoop.

Gower's had enough....and tobe frank, nobody can really blame him.

It's not like he's done a good job as a captain, he's supposed to pull the players together to act like a team. A job he has clearly failed at.

I've said Clubb would be the next captain for awhile now, but I expected it to be when Gower retires, rather than like this.

Lets face it, on the back of the last few results Gower has probably had enough trying to do it on his own. Giving Clubb the captaincy might help to spread the responsibility and maybe having two senior players from the Aussie contingent and the home contingent leading might get some heads together. Well I live in hope.

This change will do nothing, you can see whenever Clubb plays he acts like a captain, and he leads by example, giving 110% each time. We just need him to play more, as our pack looks a lot better with him in it.

I can't blame Gower. It's obvious he as been trying to motivate his team mates, by words and example. The lazy incompetent slobs just aren't up to it.

Tim. You cannot give more than 100%. Try it some time.

Bored, pi$$ed-off & miserable is the reason. I wouldn't want to be London's captain either with our record. By standing down he's done the right thing especially on his salary.

It's an expression, but thanks for pointing it out for me.

I suggest that Northen Rock et al did.....and look where we are today!

Sorry! One of my many faults is being pedantic.

Was having a word with Tony Rae earlier in the season & was asking when Clubby was likely to be returning from an injury, during the conversation, he praised Clubby for his attitude & said he would be a future Club Captain, so this has been in the pipeline for a time.
If I remember rightly, didn't Wigan have a couple of Captains a few years ago ? Didn't seem to do them too much harm.
Hopefully Craig Gower is going to remain with us for the remainder of his contract but I wonder how much more punishment his body can take. Let's hope our players will finally learn to give him more protection during the game!!

Gower has always been a great playmaker and always gives 100%, even when some of those around him have lost interest. The example he sets is always exemplary, but sometimes you need leadership in the form of guidance to other players, and I'm not sure that's his strong point.

I'm sure some folk will argue that professional players shouldn't need guidance, but inevitably some players do. You could also argue that expecting your main playmaker to also guide the team strategically is placing too much on the shoulders of one man.

If Clubby is able to take on that strategic role it could be good, but I do worry that Gower might be getting ready to press the eject button.

Nobody has mentioned the possibility that this change was not Gower's idea, but Tony Rea's. Gower may be very upset with the decision of TR and maybe that is why the contract commitment was raised by TR.

If that is true then TR has made another big blunder. Gower is a natural leader and should have remained captain. The problem of motivating the players is up to the coach more than the captain. TR is obviously failing in this regard and he may well be trying to "pass the buck" on to Craig Gower. If so he has made a dangerous move. You don't humiliate the most distinguished and best player in your team. It's bad psychology, even for a New Age thinker.

I don't know why Craig Gower would want to be under the instructions of a less experienced and less distinguished player. He may well retire this year, though I doubt that he would want to sacrifice the money he is guaranteed if he stays on till the end of 2014.

Certainly crossed my mind (and everyone elses, I expect).

Of course, it is possible that there has been another golf buggy incident.