Smyth: McGinley will bring cup home

Paul McGinley will use a pod system similar to the one that helped Paul Azinger win at Valhalla to take on a wounded US side at Gleneagles next week.

But while McGinley’s trusted lieutenant Des Smyth believes Tom Watson will rally his wounded troops to “stand up and deliver” for the Stars and Stripes, he’s seen enough of the Dubliner’s man-management style to predict there will be no American redemption in Scotland.

“Not this time!” insisted the 61-year old Drogheda man, who will be a key advisor for a European captain who appears to have done a huge amount of ground work to ensure that the Ryder Cup remains in European hands for the sixth time in the last seven matches.

“I’m confident we can win but I’m under no illusions the Americans are a wounded team. They want to prove something. There’s no place for complacency. You only had to see the Dublin-Donegal (GAA) match recently. Knowing Tom Watson he’s going to say, ‘Look, you are playing for your country, it’s time for you stand up and deliver.’ That’s the way I’d view it.”

Smyth accepts that Europe will be favourites with world No 1 Rory McIlroy in the side but while many factors give Europe the edge — the course set-up, the weather and the strength in depth of the European team — McGinley’s attention to detail and his ability to connect with his players could make the difference.

With five vice-captains — four to follow groups of three players in practice, and a fifth to roam — Smyth has been told by McGinley that he will have three players to take under his wing for the week in what appears to be a repeat of the pod system Azinger used so effectively in Kentucky for the most recent US win, in 2008.

Watson might be a legend, but Smyth points to the way McGinley was elected to the captaincy as proof positive that he is hugely respected in the team room.

“There was a bit of manoeuvring for want of a better word and all the players just said, ‘Hold on a minute, this is the guy we want.’ And they all stepped up one by one and said, ‘He’s our man.’ That was respect for him.”

The way players like Stephen Gallacher and Jamie Donaldson battled for their places in the team and made it is a credit to McGinley’s motivational powers, Smyth believes.

“Jamie was in danger of dropping out of the automatic spots and Paul told him to play in the Czech Republic, saying, ‘If you fall out, you are putting me in a difficult position, because there are fabulous players that are proven, waiting for picks.’ And he went and won the tournament and took his place.

“It was the same with Stephen Gallacher. Paul told him he had to step up and he went out and earned his pick brilliantly in Italy. That’s how good Paul is. He is able to encourage them like that. He puts it on the table. I think communication is the key and he is brilliant at that.”

* Sky Sports will ‘Bring The Noise’ from The 2014 Ryder Cup exclusively live on TV, mobile and online. A range of half price offers are available when subscribing to Sky Sports. Call Sky Ireland on 0818 719 819 for more information.