Vidic enjoying United captaincy
Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic has said he is proud to be one of the captains of his club team, having been handed the armband by manager Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of this season.
Injuries to ordinary skippers Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville have meant that the 28-year-old Serb has captained his side in the first three rounds of the league.
Speaking to the club's official website, Vidic said it is a duty he undertakes with great pride: “Being captain is a big achievement and honour for me, and I enjoy the responsibility."
Impressed during 2006 qualifiers
Vidic became known as part of the Serbian defensive line that conceded only one goal in the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup. Having impressed Ferguson during the campaign, United signed the defender in January 2006 for a fee of £7.5million.
Since then, Vidic has won three Premier League titles and lifted the Champions League trophy for the club. At the end of the 2008-2009 season, Vidic was named Barclays Player of the Season.
Only one of many leaders
Given his successes and the calm he provides his team from defence, it's not surprising that Ferguson opted to make Vidic captain. But according to the Serbian himself, there are plenty of other leaders on the team.
"We have a few captains in our team – Gary Neville, [Paul] Scholesy, [Ryan] Giggsy and Rio – they are the real leaders in our team," he said. "The other players look to those players."
“For me, as a captain you don’t need to do anything special, you just have to be yourself and be an example to the other players. I just try to give my best in every game and use the experience I have gained over the years to help the team be successful.”
Manchester United's next game in the league is against Everton on 11 September.
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