Boss selects skipper and vice captain
Fleetwood Town manager Graham Alexander hailed recently appointed captain Nathan Pond and his vice-captain Antoni Sarcevic, following the announcement of the duo’s roles on Tuesday.Central defender Pond takes over the captaincy from Mark Roberts, who departed for Cambridge United over the summer.
Pond has played a pivotal role in the Cod Army’s rise through English football’s divisions, and the 2015/16 season will be his 12th with the Club.
Meanwhile, Town have announced that midfielder and fans favourite Antoni Sarcevic has been appointed as vice-captain to Pond.
The 23-year-old Mancunian joins Pond as one of the senior figures in what is a youthful squad, as preparations get underway for Saturday’s opening league fixture against Southend United at Highbury.
And Alexander said that both Pond and Sarcevic were the two players to fill the vacant positions in an interview with the Club website.
He said: “Since Mark Roberts left, we were looking to appoint a new captain, and I just wanted to take my time over pre-season and have a look at a couple of lads.
“Obviously knowing both of these players and the characters they are, myself along with Chris Lucketti decided that they were the right ones.
“We still feel that there are other lads in the squad such as Stevie Jordan, Eggert Jonsson and Jimmy Ryan who are all leaders, but we felt that Pondy has got a desire to lead this Club, a genuine desire to be the captain which I find refreshing. He epitomises the whole ethos of the Club.”
Alexander continued his interview by stating: “Sarcs has shown a new maturity to his game, and I think that he is a player who has got the respect of his team-mates.
“When they go on the pitch they’re winners and competitors, that is what I want. It was important to get it sorted before the season started, and I’m really pleased that both of them will relish the opportunity to do that.
“Pondy has had a lot of years here, and I think you need someone to lead your Club who resembles the best features of your team, and your Club as a whole, and I think he does that.
“I’ve always been impressed with Sarcs, he never misses a day’s training, he never loses his head in training, even if he’s not winning. I think he relishes it when we put more responsibility on his shoulders as he has always responded in the best way to it.
“They are both keen to be the leaders on that pitch, but we can’t just rely on those two lads, there are others who will lead the group as well. What we feel we have is a good bunch of men who will support each other and push each other on.”