Woosnam, who served as Sam Torrance’s vice-captain when Europe regained the trophy at The Belfry in 2002, is believed to be the preferred choice of the tour players’ committee when they meet in Dubai on March 1 to discuss the issue.

Six-time major winner Faldo has been spoken of as a good candidate for the next contest in America in 2008 however, and the tour’s tournament committee could break with tradition and earmark captains for future matches.

The odds on that happening shortened considerably on Wednesday when committee members Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley admitted it was a “distinct possibility”, echoing the views of another committee member and assistant captain at Oakland Hills, Joakim Haeggman.

Bjorn even went as far to suggest he sees Woosnam, Faldo, Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie taking the role for the next four contests, but Harrington is against such advance planning.

“There are plenty of reasons why you wouldn’t want to name the next captain after 2006,” insisted the Dubliner ahead of the Carlsberg Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

“What if he had a row with six of the players? What if the next captain suffered from ill health? If a player suffers from ill health the team is only finalised two weeks before and you can replace him.

“You name one captain at a time.”

Harrington is not on the 15-man committee however and Bjorn indicated it was more a decision of when, rather than who gets the job.

“I think we are very much in the process of finding our next two captains, not so much who is our next captain,” said the Dane, assistant captain to Langer during Europe’s record victory in September.

“They both need to do it, simple as that. In my personal opinion I think we have the next four captains and it is a question of who does it when. Let Woosie and Faldo do the next two, not necessarily in that order, and the next two after have to be Monty and Ollie.”

Whoever is chosen in a fortnight’s time, McGinley feels the European team will have a distinct advantage over their American counterparts.

“I was playing with Mark O’Meara last week and he was saying how fortunate we are that the players choose, that the captain is announced by his peers,” added the Dubliner, still jaded by his 18-hour flight from America after competing at Pebble Beach.

“Immediately we are off to a head-start because it’s not a political decision. In America it is a USGA decision.”

McGinley finished 30th last week on his tournament debut this season, the 38-year-old having undergone knee surgery in November last year.

“There was a lot more damage found when the surgeon got in there than he thought and he said I was very lucky to be able to play last season with the extent of the damage,” added McGinley.

“He recommended in May I had it done but being Ryder Cup year I decided to wait until the end of the season. I am obviously a bit behind schedule in terms of my practice and fitness and not hitting the ball as far as I know I can, but I will get stronger over the next few weeks now I can do some gym work again.”