Faldo keeping quiet on plans

Nick Faldo is saying nothing - not only about Paul McGinley's resignation as his Ryder Cup vice-captain, but also about the secrets he has stored up ready to heap more misery on the Americans next September.

"I'm not telling you. I'm not going to give away that I really believe will make the difference," Faldo said last night after his trial run as a captain ended with Britain and Ireland trouncing Continental Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 for the second Seve Trophy in a row.

"I'm serious. I believe some things I know will make the difference to my team. Please respect that guys (reporters present).

"They (the United States) want to win. They want to beat us. I have some really strong opinions, but I'm going to keep my cards to my team right now.

"I'll tell you hopefully the Monday after Valhalla. It's just things that I really believe helped me in my career."

A career, of course, which brought him six major titles, took him to the world number one spot and made him Europe's most capped and most successful Ryder Cup player ever.

And Faldo is convinced that the match, even without 11 stayaway stars, served a useful purpose not only for him in opening lines of communications to some potential team members he was unfamiliar with, but for them as well.

Asked if he is now available for advice in the countdown to Kentucky he replied: "If they wish. I put that offer out - the communication comes from them to me.

"If they want me to help everyone knows that I'm more than willing to give them my twopennyworth.

"I think everybody's impressed me in some area, they really have. I think we're going to get a good half a dozen guys making the team."

The McGinley resignation - and the criticism of Faldo by former captain Sam Torrance that followed - inevitably hit the headlines.

It has made some wonder more about Faldo's qualities and there is no hiding the fact that he had tunnel vision in his prime.

But Paul Casey insists Faldo is more than capable of doing the job.

"He is getting a lot of flak so far," said Casey. "It's not what we need. If people are going to take shots at him it's going to punish not only him, but the team.

"He is a guy who wants to help. He has a great eye for the swing, he certainly helped me, and it shows he cares - it's in his heart. Overall he has done a really good job."

As for the Seve Trophy, it needs the support of more top players to prosper.

Montgomerie, captain until Faldo took over this time, commented: "I don't think it has been a success this week. There were far too many alternates playing and we need to get the Tour involved and get these players playing.

"We need the top 10 from Britain and Ireland and we need the top 10 from Europe."