In many ways a captain is just a ceremonial role that carries little meaning, but it can make a big difference if it’s done by the right character.
If you have a player who leads by example, improves those around them and demands everything from his teammates then that can be a powerful thing.
Too often a captain is just there to wear the armband and casually take part in the coin toss, but Harry Maguire is more than that for Man United.
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Bryan Robson is someone who knows what it takes to captain the club, and a report from The Daily Mail has looked at some of his comments to the Man United podcast.
He said: “He wasn’t overawed about playing for Manchester United. I think Ole’s made the right decision by giving Harry the captaincy.”
“Since then, off the pitch, he’s had an influence on the boys as well, about how you should be a Manchester United player and doing the commercial stuff as well as looking after yourself off the pitch.”
“He did really well with Leicester, so when you sign a player like him in a central position – a defender or a midfield player – I think that’s where the captaincy should come from.”
“You’ve got to be a demanding figure on your team-mates, an organiser – and I think Harry portrayed that as soon as he came into the club.”
It might be a push to say that Maguire fully lived up to expectations but there’s no doubt that he made the team better, and he does give them a solid base to build from.
If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can find him a defensive partner who has some pace and can compliment his game, then the back line will suddenly look very solid.