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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, John Hartson has backed Unai Emery’s multi-captain policy at Arsenal.
Since arriving at the Emirates Stadium, the former Sevilla boss has been reluctant to name one specific leader, instead choosing a group of four or five players who can all take up the role.
The 47-year-old has already mentioned Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil as being part of the select few, whilst Nacho Monreal also took the armband for one match before leaving for Real Sociedad. Now, there are likely to be new names on the list.
And Hartson has explained that, in the current footballing climate, having several captains is the way forward.
“I think now managers are looking for seven or eight captains,” he said. “They’re looking for everyone to step up. The days of John Terry being the absolute leader at Chelsea organising the dressing room, Roy Keane at Manchester United and Neil Lennon at Celtic – out-and-out one captains – are gone.
“Tony Adams is one of the greatest leaders of men I’ve ever worked with. Captain of England, captain of Arsenal at 25 years of age, they don’t come around too often.
“Emery would like four or five leaders in his team and that can happen over the next five years.”
Everyone remembers the days of great leaders, such as Keane, Terry, Lennon and Adams. The battles between the former and Patrick Vieira, Arsenal’s captain after Adams’ retirement, will live especially long in the memory. The influence that one man could have on his team was telling, and they would always be looked to for inspiration by their teammates.
That is not to say that that doesn’t happen at all nowadays, of course, but it is not like it once was. Now, managers need players of the same ilk all over the pitch, and they are often asked to lead by example based off their performances rather than by their personality. Even those who do not have the armband, such as Jorginho at Chelsea, can be incredibly vocal in organising their contemporaries on the field of play.
Already at Arsenal, the likes of Matteo Guendouzi and Alexandre Lacazette have shown they have what it takes to stand up and be counted when needed, whilst David Luiz is another who is not afraid to command on the pitch. Should Emery need to, these are all players he can call upon in his hour of need.
