NIGEL GIBBS is club captain but Gianluca Vialli's experienced Italian defender, Filippo Galli, will captain the side. The manager confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, July 31, as he agreed his new captain "played very well" against Inter Milan.

Danish international Allan Nielsen is to be the new vice-captain.

Said Galli: "I know I have to learn something but I am prepared to give everything for the team.

"We have worked very hard for two weeks with weights and we have run a lot. We have our fitness coach working us and our legs are a little bit heavy. Our legs are not really in good shape.

"The work now with the team is very important because we want to play possession football, but sometimes the most important thing is to score.

"I had not seen much first division football until last week when we played QPR. I realise English football is very quick. They use long balls towards two forwards and try to play the ball to the wings or back to the midfield players, and then look to get in your box. But football is football wherever you play it."

Asked if, at 38 and older than his manager, he expected to play the entire season, he said: "That is for the coaches to decide. I am here to train as hard as I can. As you say, I am older than Vialli but he is my coach and it is not a problem. I will try to learn from him.

"He is very well known and respected because of what he has done as an international and in the European Championship. He is very popular in Italy."

Galli went on to reveal his appointment as captain was as a result of a democratic dressing room poll, in which he recieved 75 per cent of the votes cast.

*Nigel Gibbs flew out to join the party on Tuesday, taking in the game against Inter. He will continue his rehabilitation work following a groin operation, with the rest of the squad.

"He is the club captain and he did not want to miss seeing the club he has been with so long, play a side like Inter," said the manager. "He could not fly out straight after the operation, but now he has spent ten days in London rehabilitating, and now he has flown out to join us and continue that."

*Youngsters Fabian Forde and Lloyd Doyley flew out to Italy on Thursday, August 2, to join up with the squad as cover for injured players.