Montgomerie interview on Radio 5

[viscount17]

anyone else hear this yesterday?
caught it as I was leaving the course, pure chance.

he came across pretty well (imo),
had some sensible comments on past and future Ryder Cups (without alienating anyone). says he intends to go back to the 'European' style of captaincy using Torrance, Langer and Woosnam for his exemplars. (Though he did imply Woosie had it easy as he had the best ever European team.)
There was a clear hint the we can expect to see a number of first timers, though he is clear that first timers have to perform well for a team to win.

I'm more confident of his ability to do the job.

he was also pretty candid about his lack of majors,
the tiff with Sandy Lyle wasn't mentioned

 

[birdieman]

Anything Monty says is to swell his own huge ego. Clearly there is very little to be said about his golf these days so he will try and divert peoples attention to RC as it gets him in the limelight. I think he would even run to get anywhere near a media held microphone.

He'll milk his RC Captains role for all its worth. If Europe win he'll claim all plaudits, if Europe lose he'll blame the players.

 

[drawboy]

I just don't understand the problem with Monty, if anyone is qualified to lead Europe into battle at he moment it is surely him. I know he has personality faults, who hasn't? But he was far and away our best player for many a year and if we need to talk majors check out the long long line of other pro's who have had a successful career and not won a major. Let us not forget the 8 order of merit victories the guy knows how to play!

 

[Dodger]

I think the fella will be superb,interviews and always comes accross very well indeed,the only folk that don't like him seem to be certain ill informed joe publics....the guy is very well liked by his peers on tour and with that is 1 up on the previous captain.

 

[viscount17]

there was a guy from the R&A there also. he made the point that prior to Dubai, Monty had said he didn't want the next one as he had a reasonable expectation of getting the next UK Ryder at Gleneagles. He said that it was the players who wanted Monty.

 

[Billysboots]

I don't dispute the fact that Montgomerie comes across very well in interview, but nothing is ever going to make me warm to the man. Just when I am on the verge of starting to like him a little, he undoes all his good PR work with yet another petulant display on the course.

I admire sportsmen and women who can compete with something approaching a smile on their faces - I'm afraid I have very little time for time for the downright miserable approach of the likes of Monty.

It is for that very reason that I would not lose sleep if Tiger Woods never won another Major.

 

[birdieman]

That's about how I feel about Monty. Don't doubt he was an excellent player in his day but his arrogance, petulance and rudeness put me right off him years ago.

That said I still hope Europe can win the RC back.

 

[jammydodger]

I caught some of this interview on the way back from the club also. Quite an entertaining drive home tbh , until I got a pucture 2 miles from home

I've always swung both ways on the Monty issue , sometimes I find him very articulate and well spoken off the course. On the course we all know his faults but he's just so hard on himself and lets it spill over into blaming outside agencies , not a very enduring trait

 

[edgey]

Mre Doubtfire lost all my respect with his infamous

"your here because of me, remember that" rant at a sky cameraman who had dared to breathe within 500yds of moobs.

No wonder his Mrs dumped him, hes a tosser

Still better him than Faldo as RC captian

Edgey

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Monty has always been good at manipulating the meida and getting his point across. He's what you might say media savvy and so it makes sense to big up the previous captains and then say "but I'm my own man"

He can't really be anything other than candid about the majors as that will haunt him now as its unlikely that he'll even come close anymore. I think he was avoiding the Lyle incident and letting sleeping dogs lie especially if he was on a roll with that particular interview

I think he'll be a pretty hands on captain in terms of looking at players in and out of form and will make sound captains picks. However if it goes horribly wrong he'll drop responsibility faster than it took his first wife to knick 1/2 his money and blame the players for poor form, poorly set up course etc etc

 

[Herbie]

He offered no more than expected, he is just as different yet the same as most tour pro golfers, who are all after the same things in reality. I can admire and respect their acievements and skill but it doesnt mean Im gonna select one to drool over or have a s a pin up.

He will do little better or worse than any other RC cpt and he will come out the other end with a reputation and popularity moulded by the success or failure of the team and his own behavior during RC, if they lose and Monty reverts to some of his less impressive behavioral traits, he will be hated, if they succeed and he doesnt come over too arrogant and self important , he will be hailed as a god.
Thats as simple as it gets.

 

[edgey]

if they lose and Monty reverts to some of his less impressive behavioral traits, he will be hated, if they succeed and he doesnt come over too arrogant and self important , he will be hailed as a god.
Thats as simple as it gets.

Its not that simple, if he loses i will hate him, if he wins i will hate him.

Now that is quite simple

Edgey

 

[Herbie]

if they lose and Monty reverts to some of his less impressive behavioral traits, he will be hated, if they succeed and he doesnt come over too arrogant and self important , he will be hailed as a god.
Thats as simple as it gets.

Its not that simple, if he loses i will hate him, if he wins i will hate him.

Now that is quite simple

Edgey

I was givng a general opinion but there is always room for the vendetta.

 

[Dodger]

Monty has always been good at manipulating the meida and getting his point across. He's what you might say media savvy and so it makes sense to big up the previous captains and then say "but I'm my own man"

He can't really be anything other than candid about the majors as that will haunt him now as its unlikely that he'll even come close anymore. I think he was avoiding the Lyle incident and letting sleeping dogs lie especially if he was on a roll with that particular interview

I think he'll be a pretty hands on captain in terms of looking at players in and out of form and will make sound captains picks. However if it goes horribly wrong he'll drop responsibility faster than it took his first wife to knick 1/2 his money and blame the players for poor form, poorly set up course etc etc

Homer, what do you base your opinion on when you tell us what will in your opinion happen if we lose the Ryder Cup?? For me that has to be one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on here.....poorly set up course? Do me a favour eh....he will have had the biggest say on how it is set up! Total and utter Monty knocking for the sake of it nonsence.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That is just my point. Monty has a habit of looking for scapegoats (Sky cameramen per chance) and so if there is any scope to shift blame he will. I'm not actually too anti-Monty at all and think 8 order of merits speak volimes for his talent at the peak of his powers. However even in those glory years he could come across as picky and sullen if things went against him. I think that is just a personality trait. I actually think we'll win the RC comfortably anyway.

 

[Dodger]

Maybe your opinion but to say he will blame the course or players is just totally ludicrous.

 

[Herbie]

Maybe your opinion but to say he will blame the course or players is just totally ludicrous.

How so? He has done things of such a nature before, he has also blamed crowds, mob phones, course designs etc. Although he has a great record and has produced some outstanding golf in his carreer, he also has skeletons as do most top golfers,he has also played so badly on occasions that he has looked ordinary, lets hope that doesnt happen in his management skills. So many people wouldn't have much in the negative to comment about monty, if he was so perfect.

Personally I dont like or dislike him any more or less than a dozen other golfers with the same potential for RC captaincy, and that for me is enough to be concerned about his ability to achieve anything more than many predesessors.
Not everyone can be a Seve, I cannot remember any negative comments about his selection, Im sure there may have been but I cant remember any, but with Monty, I expected just as much negative comment as positive, simply because of his history and his charactor.

 

[Dodger]

Right so let me get this right,you think that he will blame the course set up so he will blame himself as he will be the main driving force behind how the course is set up for the matches and you also think that he will blame his team,a team that 3 of them will be HIS picks and the rest will be guys he spends time with week in week out and guys that he gets along with HUGELY well??!!

As I have said before..ludicrous.

 

[CrapHacker]

What they're saying is that Monty will find a way to divert any suggestion of failure away from himself.

Just as an example, and by no means a suggestion he will use these actual words :

GM : Well Monty, the USA won, why was that ?
M : Well, the course suited their style of play better than ours:
GM : But surely the course was set up the way you wanted it ?
M : Well, I gave a list of instructions to the greenkeeping staff, but they didn't fully follow them, to the standards I would have expected.

So he'll find a way of diverting the attention.

 

[Herbie]

Right so let me get this right,you think that he will blame the course set up so he will blame himself as he will be the main driving force behind how the course is set up for the matches and you also think that he will blame his team,a team that 3 of them will be HIS picks and the rest will be guys he spends time with week in week out and guys that he gets along with HUGELY well??!!

As I have said before..ludicrous.

The only thing becomming ludicrous are your comments on this subject, you obviously dont know what people are saying or you wouldnt suggest they are saying the things you have posted. Your comments in this post for example, I didnt think any of it, nor did I say any of it.

Ludicrous.

The fact is Monty has a history of dummy spitting and excuses that people remember with distaste, should he take that kind of behavior into his captaincy especially if we lose, the expectations are there and I believe fair comment has been made by most. we can all only hope he does well and behaves himself.