Costa says Ling should be next Captain

[AM]

[FONT=&quot]Ling should lead us[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mark Stevens | March 21, 2009 12:00am[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
GEELONG president Frank Costa has entered the club's captaincy debate, backing Cameron Ling as Tom Harley's successor. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Harley may be in his final year as skipper, but Costa says 20-year-old leader Joel Selwood is too young for the added responsibility. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"Because Joel Selwood's so young - he's only 20 - it's a bit too soon for him," Costa said. "I reckon Cameron Ling's a prime candidate. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"He's been captain during the NAB Cup period. He's been vice-captain over the last couple of years and he's a natural leader on the field." [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Costa said Ling would be an ideal choice for a "couple of years" before Selwood was ready to take over. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"If Joel Selwood's physical condition stands up, I reckon he's an absolute lay-down misere," Costa said. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Costa made the comments when pressed during a panel discussion at Melbourne's season launch at the MCG yesterday. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]He prefaced his comments by stating: "This is a personal view, not a club view." [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Costa praised the entire Geelong leadership group, but did not mention Gary Ablett in the captaincy discussion. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Cats supremo earlier in the function heaped praise on Ablett, saying he was closing fast on his father. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Apart from tearing the competition apart, Ablett has also expressed a willingness to captain the Cats one day. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Harley has been a revered leader at Geelong and almost certainly has the captaincy as long as he wants it. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But Costa said Harley may be coming to the end of his career. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]"This could be his last year, you don't know. He's got a little bit of knee trouble at the moment," Costa said. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Selwood was elevated to the leadership group in January. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Other members of the new-look group include Harley, Ling, Ablett, Joel Corey, Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Corey is deputy vice-captain, a rung below the hugely popular Ling. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cam Mooney, Max Rooke and Paul Chapman have stepped down from the leadership group. Ling talked down his chances of taking over the captaincy on Channel 9's The Footy Show on Thursday night, saying Harley was a long way from finished. [/FONT]

From HeraldSun

 

[ZosoCat]

Costa is a wise wise man - http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=553142

 

[AM]

Oops! Missed that. One of the mods will do the honours.