Faldo wrong to criticise Monty, says Gallacher

Former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher has said Nick Faldo was wrong to air his criticism of Colin Montgomerie's behaviour at the recent Seve Trophy.

Gallacher believes that with Montgomerie a possible member of next year's side against the Americans, current captain Faldo should have kept his thoughts to himself and "saved them for his memoirs".

Faldo commented this week that Montgomerie's absence from three team meetings in Ireland was "disappointing" and added: "Monty's a tough one. He was the only one whose emotions I had to deal with.

"He had to be teased out on to the 18th green to support his team. The bottom line was he hadn't won a point."

Captain in 1991, 1993 and 1995, with Faldo and Montgomerie on his team every time, Gallacher also said on BBC Radio: "I never felt Nick was a real team player, but I accepted it as a captain because he gave you points.

"He wasn't a player like Seve (Ballesteros) who used to rule the team meetings, be out on course rooting for the players and would play with anybody the captain wanted him to play with.

"Nick always wanted to play with the best player."

Gallacher's words follow those of another ex-captain, Sam Torrance, who commented after Paul McGinley's resignation as one of Faldo's vice-captains that it had been "horrific" and "an insult" to ask the Dubliner and Jose Maria Olazabal to take on the positions when they were still contenders to play.

"You meet the same people on the way down as you did on the way up. He (Faldo) just learned that a bit late," stated Torrance.

Montgomerie is hoping to earn a ninth Ryder Cup cap next September and while that would still be two short of Faldo's record he can overtake the six-time major winner as the competition's highest points-scorer. He has 23 1/2 points to Faldo's 25.

The pair were partners at The Belfry in 1993 and Oak Hill in 1995.

Montgomerie could well be Faldo's successor as Ryder Cup captain, although that would have been even more likely if Gleneagles had been awarded the 2010 match rather than 2014. Celtic Manor in Wales plays host in three years' time.