(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

It has been the norm that once you lose your major charismatic players it takes an awful lot of time to fill up the hole left by their departure.

The process to be at the top again, is somewhat aided by the fact that a country has a large supply of raw talent, that requires to be polished and nourished by someone  who is the master at the art of converting young potentially good players into world class ones.

However, is it just and only just about the talent? I am afraid it is not the case. For a team sport like football, you need to have discipline of the game. Due respect must be given to oppositions, no matter how novice their playing levels are.

There must be a sense of trust among players. Senior players who have witnessed the glory, must be humble in helping the new breed so when they (senior players) leave, they themselves and the people (fans) have a feeling that the future of the game along with the honor of the nation is in firm and determined hands

When that certain one person bids farewell to the game another should rise from the ranks and take the tea m forward, ride the talented but inexperienced youth on his shoulders. Be their role model and carry the whole team with grace and panache through tough times, to the glory that he witnessed in his similar days.

However, this was not the case when his smoothness Zinedine Zidnae finally parted with the sport that he loved and through which he forced so many to love him. Patrick Viera at that time was a good team leader, but sadly his days of playing the full 90 were already out numbered.

The next likely to be handed the responsibility was Thierry Henry.

There are no doubts about Henry’s playing ability. Yet does that mean he can be a good captain too? The answer came back as a negative, and majority of the people would agree to this fact.

During his reign at Arsenal as the team leader, his CV lacked trophies. His game diminished playing for France while he was the captain.

He had added pressure, couldn’t and still can’t  perform for France at the level which is expected of him, and along with him the team also suffered, in fact it doesn’t seem like a team, seems more like a bunch of special players forced to play together.

This is what French team has been lacking, they do not have that special someone at the top ever since Zidane retired, what they swiftly need is a leader, someone who does not get bogged by the pressure but rather enjoys the extra responsibility.

 That special someone for me has to be Bilal Frank Ribery. Every Successful team has its most creative player as its captain. However, there are certain exceptions with the likes of Spain and England, but then again out of the bunch can you find a better leader than John Terry or Saint Iker?

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