‘When the teams needs you to step up’ – Oliver Glasner provides Crystal Palace captain insight
BY ANDREW MCSTEEN
In his nine games so far, Eagles boss Oliver Glasner has had two captains lead his side – Joel Ward and Joachim Andersen.
As club captain, Joel Ward is the first-choice for the armband, relinquishing it only due to injury or when he was rested for the cup competitions this season, to James Tomkins and Jordan Ayew in the EFL Cup and to Marc Guehi in the FA Cup.
And in the case of being subbed off, the armband moves over to England international Marc Guehi.
However, with Guehi ruled out due to injury and after Ward picked up one himself earlier this month, Danish international Joachim Andersen stepped up, but boss Glasner was keen to stress the role is a lot more than just about who is currently wearing the armband.
“It would be unfair on all the other captains before him (to say specifically about what Andersen brings) because (Joel) Wardy did it really well,” said Glasner.
“When we arrived here, he was the captain because Marc was injured. He gave us – and also to me – a lot of support. We talked many times with him about different situations.”
Since taking the armband, it has worked out pretty well for Andersen who has won all three games he has been in charge so far.
And with the obvious leadership qualities from a playing position traditionally situated in one of the best places on the pitch to direct your teammates from, Glasner was quick to acknowledge the importance of having more than one sole leader on the pitch.
“We need everybody to have this responsibility, we need us all together, but we [also] need one with the voice to say: ‘Come on, guys – let’s do it’,” said Glasner.
“A captain is somebody who, when the team needs you to step up, steps up. There are (game) situations where it can change…and in these situations you need your captain, supporting teammates giving them trust, taking responsibility.
“(For example) when you’re 5-0 up and scoring a penalty, everybody can do it, but if it’s 0-0, last minute, then it’s a lot of pressure and then (a captain will say) ‘okay I do it. No problem if I fail but I do it for the team, I give my best for the team’. This is what Joa (Andersen) is doing (now) and what Wardy is doing and was doing before.”
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