It seems that everyone but the person himself has Paul McGinley earmarked for the 2014 European Ryder Cup team captaincy.

McGinley’s reappointment earlier this week as GB & I Vivendi Seve Trophy captain only seems to add further weight to the Irishman taking over from Jose Maria Olazabal when the Ryder Cup returns to Europe and the Gleneagles course in three years time.

Colin Montgomerie, who led last year’s victorious European side at Celtic Manor, has again endorsed McGinley to take over Europe’s leading reins.

Paul McGinley's next step after Vivendi Seve Tropyhy to lead Europe in 2014 Ryder Cup

“Paul is very intelligent and very thoughtful, and rather than being a facts and figures man, he’s very good with people, and I believe he will be a super Ryder Cup captain,” said Monty Wednesday at Gleneagles.

“He’s going to be again a good GB & I team captain later this year at the Vivendi Cup, and there’s no question last time around the GB & I team had a weaker team than continental Europe, and with Paul as the captain, the team won well.

“Many of the guys on that GB & I team said it was all down to the captain, and how good he was.

“That’s why Paul had a very big tick in my column before and after the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

”And for him to be the Vivendi Seve Trophy captain again does strengthen his case to be captain here in three years time, there’s no question.”

Monty was speaking ahead of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, and an event that will be switched to earlier in 2014 to accommodate the Ryder Cup.

McGinley will 47 years old in 2014, and before any decision is made on Olazabal’s replacement or whether McGinley will travel to Medinah next September as a vice-captain, the Dubliner remained the quintessential diplomat.

“You’re going to have to ask Ollie whether he wants me in his team next year, as I can’t answer it,” said McGinley.

“It’s just not for me to decide on whether I am going to be on his team next year, and it’s the same with the Ryder Cup Captaincy.

“And yes, while I admit being again appointed the GB & I Vivendi Cup captain is not going to hurt my chances of getting the Ryder Cup captaincy, there is so many other players who are potential candidates.

“What’s important for me is to keep my head down, do my thing and see what happens.

“I’m not going to say who those candidates are but they’re the obvious ones.”

But when it was put to McGinley he was the obvious candidate, he again poured cold water on the suggestion.

“There’s Paul Lawrie, who’s Scottish and also a former Open Champion, but there are so many guys who are potential candidates and that’s the way it should be,” he said.

“That’s the way it should be and it shows you the level of players we have in Europe who can be a Ryder Cup Captain.

“I remember there was a period back in the early 90s when Bernard Gallacher was Captain for a few occasions in a row, and then we had Tony Jacklin, and while they both did very good jobs, it won’t happen again.

“There is just so many guys lining up for the captaincy, and that shows the success that the Tour has enjoyed that we have so many players in line for the European captaincy.

“But everyone knows I would love to be a Ryder Cup captain.”

And even Paul Lawrie, who would dearly love to lead Europe on Scottish soil, seems to agree it should be McGinley.

“Everyone has positive things to say about Paul, and he’s captain material,” said Lawrie.

“He’s a good lad, and he’s played in a few Ryder Cups himself, so he knows what to do and what not to do.”