BLUEDIGNITY 33,647 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Although big Colin hasn't been playin well leaving him and Darren Clarke out was a disgrace and foolish to the extreme. Get it right roon ye faldo ! Colin Montgomerie blasts Nick Faldo for Ryder Cup blunders Sep 25 2008 By Dale Rankin COLIN MONTGOMERIE last night accused Nick Faldo of costing Europe the Ryder Cup. Monty said skipper Faldo blundered by sending out his three big guns in the final three singles matches. And they were still out on the course as the United States clinched victory at Valhalla in Kentucky. The big Scot claimed if he had been in the team he would have lobbied for a change of tactics and demanded the star players be sent out first to try to overhaul the Americans who clinched the match 161/2-111/2 for their biggest winning margin since 1981. Monty missed the tournament for the first time in 19 years after failing to qualify or earn a wild card. He was proud of the strong spirit in the European dressing room when he played and was clearly pained to watch from back home Faldo's side look more like an old American team of individuals. After speaking to members of the side, he reckoned the responsibility for the lack of morale and tactics lay firmly at Faldo's door. Graeme McDowell admitted Faldo had got "the wrong line-up" in the singles. The Ulster rookie also revealed it was vice-captain Jose-Maria Olazabal and not the Englishman who gave the team's "very emotional, inspirational" rallying call on Saturday when they trailed 9-7. Monty said: "If I'd been in the dressing room I would have expressed my concern that Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington might not have been involved in the final shake-up. "Being 9-7 down, the singles line-up was very important, very important. It had to be absolutely bang-on right. "If they had been playing higher up they absolutely would have been included in the shake-up of what happened. "Three of the top players were 10, 11 and 12 in the singles and their games weren't associated with the Ryder Cup. "It happened in 2002 at The Belfry when only the top nine were involved. "Only once in the entire history of matches between America and Europe has the match ever been won or lost by the No.12 and that was Bernhard Langer in 1991 against Hale Irwin. "That is the only time that No.12 has mattered." When asked if he felt sympathy for the players and the captain, Monty said: "I feel for the players, I do, because I see them and I know what they have gone through. To answer the other part of your question - I can't answer that." Next he was asked how much he felt Faldo was responsible for the defeat and whether he got the best out of the team. Monty said: "Going to America for the first time as odds-on favourite and to lose 161/2-111/2 - it's very difficult for me to say. "I know from hearing from some of the guys, the situations and some of what went on, that possibly not." Monty was speaking on the eve of the Quinn Insurance British Masters at The Belfry, where he famously led Europe's charge to victory in 2002 and was seen hugging Faldo as Cup partners. In that tournament, he went out first in Sam Torrance's front-loaded line-up. He would also have reminded Faldo in that tournament Tiger Woods was out last for the Americans and was still playing when Europe were celebrating victory. McDowell, along with Westwood the only Valhalla stars at The Belfry this week, did not blame Faldo for the defeat but said: "We didn't get to the last matches so it was the wrong line-up. Yeah, we wish we would have stacked the front nine. "But we thought we had a strong team on paper and when we saw the draw we were happy. We made the decisions as a team. I think every player down to the last man thought he was a great captain. It was a privilege to play under him. "Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it? Obviously we wish we'd done something different." Westwood, the defending champion this week, learned of his axeing from the Saturday morning foursomes on the 10th tee on Friday afternoon. He was then two up along with Soren Hansen - but needed to win the 18th to scramble a half point. He said: "When you've played 25 times out of 25 times there's no good time to tell somebody they are dropped for a session. "At the end of the day, Nick was the captain and he had to do what he thought was right. "If he looked at me and thought I looked tired - I told him I wasn't - it's like Ryan Giggs turning around to Fergie but it is Sir Alex's job to pick the team." On the issue of who should captain the 2010 team, Monty gave his support to Sandy Lyle, while Westwood spoke up for Ian Woosnam returning and Darren Clarke thought that was "a difficult call". Westwood is not on the tournament committee which will start discussing the issue next week and probably decide in January but the other two are. Clarke, whose omission from last week's team was far more controversial than that of Montgomerie, said: "I can't see repeat captains. We have so many qualified candidates coming up. "I think we are past that now. I'm only one voice on the committee but I see it as different guys being asked." On Lyle, fellow Scot Montgomerie said: "He's the last of our five Major winners of that era who has not yet captained the team and it would be nice. It would be a shame if Sandy somehow misses out. "It seems like it would not need Einstein to work out the next three." In other words, Lyle in 2010, Olazabal in 2012 and Monty himself in 2014. 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Hoff 7 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I agree with some of his points, but Monty should not have been picked mate!! Poulter justified his selection. Clarke is the guy who should feel hard done by with selections. I never thought Faldo would make a good captain, he just is not a team player. Monty's next 3 picks for captain seem to make sense to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY 33,647 Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 I agree with some of his points, but Monty should not have been picked mate!! Poulter justified his selection. Clarke is the guy who should feel hard done by with selections. I never thought Faldo would make a good captain, he just is not a team player. Monty's next 3 picks for captain seem to make sense to me. Not just talkin bout the picks mate Faldos general aura was shocking ! Poulter did I agree but others didn't have the bottle, Monty and Clarke would have ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoff 7 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I agree with some of his points, but Monty should not have been picked mate!! Poulter justified his selection. Clarke is the guy who should feel hard done by with selections. I never thought Faldo would make a good captain, he just is not a team player. Monty's next 3 picks for captain seem to make sense to me. Not just talkin bout the picks mate Faldos general aura was shocking ! Poulter did I agree but others didn't have the bottle, Monty and Clarke would have ! Casey didn't play too well and he was the other pic but his worl ranking kinda guaranteed him a spot. I am a huge Monty fan and love the big fella but I just never thought for 1 moment Faldo would take him! Even though it is a banker that he wins his singles!! Do you think that maybe Faldo realised Monty was only 2 points away from matchign his ryder cup record points haul and he didn;t want to lose that?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY 33,647 Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 I agree with some of his points, but Monty should not have been picked mate!! Poulter justified his selection. Clarke is the guy who should feel hard done by with selections. I never thought Faldo would make a good captain, he just is not a team player. Monty's next 3 picks for captain seem to make sense to me. Not just talkin bout the picks mate Faldos general aura was shocking ! Poulter did I agree but others didn't have the bottle, Monty and Clarke would have ! Casey didn't play too well and he was the other pic but his worl ranking kinda guaranteed him a spot. I am a huge Monty fan and love the big fella but I just never thought for 1 moment Faldo would take him! Even though it is a banker that he wins his singles!! Do you think that maybe Faldo realised Monty was only 2 points away from matchign his ryder cup record points haul and he didn;t want to lose that?? Yeah I think you have hit the nail on the head, faldo is so selfish he would put europes victory in harms way to keep his record, he shouldn't have been let near the captaincy ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
britishempirexi 0 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Lyle in 2010, Olazabal in 2012 and Monty himself in 2014. That looks good to me. Hopefully Monty can get himself back into the team for 2010 - would love for him to overtake Faldo's Record. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KERRZO 5 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 In the end, Poults justified his selection. Casey was always going to be first pick and then it was between Casey and Clarke, Monty would have made little difference. US golf courses are too long for Monty now and he just isnt the player he once was. Only thing Faldo got wrong was his singles order, apart from that his big guns let him down badly!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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