Jose Maria Olazabal backs Tom Watson as US Ryder Cup captain for 2014 at Gleneagles He has achieved so much in his major career but look at the way he has been playing lately, too. He's still scoring well, and he's competitive regardless of his age. In that regard it's a great appointment by the Americans. Asked whether Watson's appointment put pressure on the European Tour to find a captain of major championship stature, Olazábal refused to commit. He insisted he would be neutral in the search for his successor, now a straight fight between Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, before the selection is made next month in Abu Dhabi. "I've always said that, ultimately, it's about how well the players perform," he said. You need to have a solid captain who will get the team together and draw the best from each guy. Speaking here at the Royal Trophy, where he is Europe's captain for a three-day match against Asia, Olazábal admitted that he has missed the team spirit that he forged during a remarkable week at Medinah. The beauty of the Ryder Cup lies in the camaraderie of the players, the relationships you build, the experiences you have within that week. That is something you miss when you go out and play as an individual. You cherish those moments, and that's why the Ryder Cup has always been so special to me. But the 46 year-old, who could not be persuaded to assume the captaincy again, acknowledged he was ready to begin a fresh chapter in his life. You have to be, the Ryder Cup is over. In a few weeks" time we will have found our next captain and it is his role, his business from then on."