After five victories in eight appearances as a player, Colin Montgomerie reveals how he is planning on prising the Ryder Cup from American hands as European captain.

Q. With eight appearances as a player, there are few people with more Ryder Cup experience than yourself and you've always been a big fan of the contest, what is it that makes it such a special event?

A. It is playing for each other. We don't play for anyone but ourselves 99% of the time. At the Ryder Cup we play for each other, which makes it very special.

Q. At Valhalla two years ago, Europe tasted defeat for the first time since 1999 and Nick Faldo came under criticism for his captaincy, are you planning on taking a different approach to things this time around?

A. I am not able to comment on Nick Faldo's captaincy as I wasn't at Valhalla. All I can concentrate on is my own captaincy, which I will do my utmost to leave no stone unturned to win the Ryder Cup for Europe.

Q. How important is your past Ryder Cup experience going to be and what have you taken from the captains you've played under?

A. I have taken a lot from each of the six Captains I have played under. I am looking forward to taking that experience to the Celtic Manor Resort in our aim to try to win back the Ryder Cup for Europe.

Q. Have you taken anything in particular from anyone?

A. I've spoken at length to every one, all six. I've learnt a lot. I can't say individually what one might have said or individual points of view. All you can say is after the Ryder Cup is finished, you will realise that I have taken a lot from every captain that I've played under.

Q. European golf is in rude health at the moment, do you think we can be confident heading into the Ryder Cup?

A. European golf is in fantastic shape right now. We have three European major winners in our team and I think we are ready to regain the Ryder Cup.

Q. This year's Open was only the second time in 50 years that there wasn't a US player in the top six. Do you recognise there's a danger of perhaps some over confidence from Europe regarding this year's contest?

A. There is no complacency. There is not anything to do with over confidence here. We know these matches are very, very close. You only have to look back at the first record win that Europe had in 2004 in America of 18.5, 9.5; 11 matches in that particular competition went to the last hole and we happened to win nine of them. If that were the opposite way, we wouldn't have just won in a record margin; we would have lost the Ryder Cup. That's how close the Ryder Cup matches are, and we are under no illusion here at all as to how difficult a task this will be to attempt to regain this Ryder Cup and everything we have put in place for those 12 players to do so.

Q. How hard was your job when deciding who to choose as your three wild cards, leaving out the likes of Justin Rose and Paul Casey?

A. It was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do. It was hard to leave out top players who are colleagues, teammates, friends, and I hope no other Captain ever has to do the same thing.

Q. Why was it important to have three captain's picks this time, rather than the usual two?

A. I wanted to give myself as many options as possible.

Q. Did you feel hamstrung at all by the qualifying system, which meant you had to leave out world-class players?

A. I don't feel hamstrung by the qualifying process at all. I would just like to think positively about the team that we have selected and think very positively about Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and, of course, our Italian friend, Mr. Molinari. I think the three picks are strong in every way. We are thinking about pairings. We are thinking about the team. We are thinking about everything to do with trying to regain this Ryder Cup and trying to get that magic number that Europe need, 14 1/2 points, and that was our main criteria in selecting this team.

Q. Are you concerned about Padraig Harrington's format all this season?

A. Not at all. I think when Padraig's, if you like, back is up against the wall, he comes out and produces fantastic performances, and I'm expecting that at Celtic Manor.

Q. Why specifically did you pick Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley as your vice captains?

A. I wouldn't say individually, I would just like to say that the four of us, and that includes myself, have huge respect from the players that will be on that team, and respect in that team room. Respect in the locker room and respect on the course is vital and I think all four of us, we all speak together on that half. This is the strongest team we have ever assembled on and off the course in Europe and it's a great time for European golf. We just had great success in America at the US Open, and were very close to having great success in our own Open. But at the same time, this is the strongest team, including myself here, because there's four of us here that are going to make decisions regarding this Ryder Cup from now on, four of us make the decisions from now on, not just me. There will be consultation going on the whole time now with all four of us, and I can honestly say this is the strongest set up that we have had on and off the course. 

Q. And what will Sergio Garcia, your fourth vice captain, bring to the mix at Celtic Manor?

A. I've played with Sergio Garcia since 1999 in the Ryder Cup. There's one word that describes Sergio Garcia, and that's passion. Along with his good friends of Seve Ballesteros and, of course, Jose Maria Olazabal, who brought a real passion to the Ryder Cup. And I think Sergio will bring the same passion, not just on the course but off the course, as well. I think it's a great asset to the European cause to regain the Ryder Cup to have him on board. I spoke to Sergio on the Wednesday before The Open Championship at St. Andrews, and we said, look, you know, things haven't been going well for him on the golf course, of course, and then he said to me, 'Let me have a role, let me have a role here in the Ryder Cup to bring back the Ryder Cup.' And that's what it means to him.