With Newcastle gearing up for a major transition this summer it is the opportune time for Alan Pardew to usher in a new brand of captain at St James' Park by relieving Fabricio Coloccini of his duties and transferring them to Cheick Tiote. Now I understand that my decision to champion Tiote's candidacy - less than 24 hours after a calamitous mistake that effectively killed Ivory Coast's World Cup campaign - has been horribly timed but I won't allow one blunder to cloud my judgement. To be brutally honest I was never a huge advocate of Coloccini taking the captaincy following Kevin Nolan's inspirational reign. True, he's carried the armband with great dignity and diplomacy, more so behind the scenes, but I just don't share faith, which I consider to be misplaced, that Pardew has in him to lead Newcastle on the field in the future. To our mind Coloccini has always been found wanting in that area - he's never been the most vocal of leaders - and when we've endured a rocky patch or have fallen behind in a game he has a tendency to hide from the pressure of stepping up to that particular plate. This was especially prevalent towards the end of last season and when he beat a hasty retreat back to Argentina early in 2013 when his motive was to secure a return to hometown club San Lorenzo. Plus, with Yohan Cabaye gone (his tenancy as captain during Coloccini's absent can be chalked down as a failed experiment) I'd like to see Tiote given the opportunity to stake a claim to be our permanent captain. That doesn't necessarily mean that Coloccini's authoritative voice in the dressing room will be diminished but more that the burden of responsibility on the field will be reduced and his focus re-aligned. Which I believe could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Tiote, in my humble opinion, is the captain we NEED right now. Last season was the Ivory Coast international's best since his first in a black and white shirt (2010/11) and we saw a more consistent, disciplined and sagacious player, especially when he was asked to carry that extra authority during Coloccini's injury lay-off. It was patently clear the trust Pardew has placed in Tiote imbued him with a greater sense of accountability, which subsequently brought out a dormant maturity in his game. Aside from the Swansea defeat at SJP it's hard to think of Tiote making any grave errors during 2013/14. Not so much the de waiting to happen anymore. The raw statistics add weight to our theory: He averaged 3.2 tackles per game (TPG), committed just two fouls per game (FPG) and picked up 10 yellows from 22 appearances last season. Compare that with the 2010/11 campaign, where he averaged 3.3 TPG, made three FPG and accrued 14 yellow cards. He also achieved a pass success percentage of 87% for the first time since coming to England. Additionally, being fulcrum of our midfield gives Tiote a greater scope to influence the game when the situation requires, - which is something Coloccini struggles to do from defence - and he'd be a more commanding mouthpiece from his position as our destructive wrecking ball in the centre of the field. I'm a firm believer in captains being the heartbeat of a team and Tiote is exactly that for Newcastle and he deserves to be rewarded for finally turning a corner. No longer is he an untamed wrecking ball of destruction but a newly-refined anchor man. I'd even go as far to say he's one of the best in the Premier League And at 28 I think it's the ideal opportunity for Pardew to consider Tiote as the long-term alternative to Coloccini who, lets face facts, would have been long gone by now had San Lorenzo been able to afford him. The time is now, the time is TIOTE! Now it's time to have your say. Should there be a change of captain at Newcastle and would Tiote be your ideal candidate? * All statistics are taken from Who Scored
