If and when Robin does leave in the summer, we not only lose an Arsenal legend, but also our captain.

Over the years the Arsenal captain’s spot has been filled by some of our most loved icons.  McLintock, Adams, Fabregas and Henry stand out in my mind as excellent players and excellent captains, but recently there have been some more…interesting choices.

Sebastian Squillaci and Manuel Almunia are two examples of less than stellar candidates for the job.  Although these two were only captain for the odd game or two, it certainly made me think.

History tells us that when the right captain is chosen it can transfer a good player into a timeless icon, the best example of this being Tony Adams.  Adams will forever be remembered not merely as an Arsenal player, but as Arsenal captain.

With this in mind Mr Wenger should take a good look at the candidates available to him before giving out the armband

The Favourite

Looking at the players currently at the club and the positions the armband has found itself in in the past, a shortlist certainly begins to emerge.  The new captain is highly likely to be a central player, whether it’s centre back, midfield or forward.  Our most senior striker at the club is Marouane Chamakh.  No disrespect to Marouane but I think we can safely say that the new captain won’t be a forward.  After making these deductions, only one name stood out tall and clear in my mind.  This man is Thomas Vermaelen.

Vermaelen has many qualities that suggest he could be the new Tony Adams.  He rapidly became a fan favourite due to his no-nonsense manner and consistency.

He has prior experience of the armband as he was last season’s vice-captain and is one of the best centre backs in the league.

All of these points go without saying, but what really makes me think Vermaelen is the right man for the job is he looks like a man who, when circumstances look bleak, can carry a team on his back.

He cares.

He seems to have a real passion for the club and this is a characteristic that is paramount when choosing a captain.  This passion for Arsenal is not a trait held only by the sensible Belgian…

The youngster

Whenever I find myself thinking back to some of the darker moments last season, one fact enables me to raise a smile.  Last season we were without our secret weapon, our rising star.  I’m not one to make rash predictions but in the case of this individual I’m willing to stick my neck out.

Jack Wilshere will be a great player.  He will be Arsenal captain and very possibly England captain.

Whether or not Arsene would choose to grant Jack the armband at such an early stage in his career is debatable, especially with such strong candidates as Vermaelen in the frame.

However, it is certainly a possibility, The Boss is not against a young captain.  Both Adams and Fabregas were only 21 when entrusted with the Captains duties.  Jack Wilshere is 20 years of age and already a player of immense quality.  This ability coupled with a passion for the game make him a dead cert for the captaincy in the future.

The Underdog (My Favourite)

So after reaching this stage in my deliberations I realised I had made the captaincy sound like a two horse race.  I simply couldn’t think of a candidate as worthy as these two until I glanced at my laptop screensaver.  The picture shows a man running towards the Arsenal crowd in ecstasy after scoring a vital goal against his team’s bitter rivals.

So here’s my long shot, Tomas Rosicky.  In my opinion he was our player of the season (V.P. excluded), giving 100% every match.  I was fond of the Czech since his first season and was upset to see him take such a long break through injury.  As he struggled becoming match fit after such a long time out, many wrote him off as too slow or simply not good enough.  But I stuck by my man and he rewarded me with an excellent season.

Although I’ll be first to admit that Rosicky is unlikely to become Arsenal captain, I would say that it is a prize that no one deserves more than Tomas.

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