Former world number one Ian Woosnam is bemused by European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley's decision to opt for five vice-captains instead of the usual four and believes it could betray a sign of weakness.
McGinley raised a few eyebrows last week when he drafted in 2012 captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez to join Sam Torrance and Des Smyth as his deputies for the biennial team event at Gleneagles from 26-28 September.
"I honestly thought he was going to go for four vice-captains," Woosnam told Reuters in an interview.
"It took me a little bit by surprise when he went for five.
"I guess he's trying to get a little bit of advice from everybody but sometimes you can get too much advice. At the end of the day he's the one who has got to make the decisions.
"Is it a sign of weakness having that many? It does seem a lot. Maybe he's trying to get as much experience as he possibly can, I don't really know.
"He might need a bigger team room, he might as well have 12 vice-captains, one for each player," joked Woosnam.
"Is it a sign of weakness having that many? It does seem a lot." - Ian Woosnam
McGinley's playing record, he has won four times on the European Tour, pales in comparison to United States counterpart Tom Watson who is one of golf's true greats having collected eight major victories including five British Opens.
Woosnam, who was captain when a powerful European team romped victory over the United States at the K Club in 2006, believes, however, that the 47-year-old Dubliner has got what it takes to deliver Ryder Cup glory.
"Paul may have only won four tournaments but I think he's going to be well respected by his players. He's very professional," said the 56-year-old Welshman.
"If you put it in football terms, you don't always have to be the best player to be the best captain. Not at all."
McGinley will have four of the world's top five players in his 12-strong team in Scotland - Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose - but Woosnam said no-one should underestimate a US side led by Watson.
