WHEN you have won six Majors, topped the world rankings and achieved as much in your golf career as Nick Faldo, there can't be many more personal ambitions to fulfil.

But Britain's greatest-ever golfer has never been one to rest on his laurels - and the 47-year-old has made it no secret that he covets the 2006 European team Ryder Cup captaincy.

Although he has reluctantly acknowledged his time as an all-conquering player has come to an end, Faldo is confident he can skipper Europe to further glory over America in the bi-annual contest.

As the leading points scorer in Ryder Cup history, Faldo says he has the relevant experience to impart to the European superstars battling it out over the next two Tour seasons to make the 2006 team.

"I would love to captain the side in Ireland in 2006, but there are a lot of others who feel they deserve to as well," adds the big 6ft 3in Englishman.

"People like Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam and some of the Irish guys, like Christie O'Connor Jnr, are all contenders, so I will go along with whatever the committee decides.

"But I think, given my Ryder Cup record and the experience and knowledge I've picked up throughout my career, that I can do the job and do it well."

As an event, the Ryder Cup has provided Faldo with many highs and lows - glowing accolades for his steely successes and harsh criticism for not being a 'team-player' in fourballs and foursomes.

Such a contrast is perfectly illustrated by the respective 1991 and 1995 set of matches at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, and Oak Hill, in New York.

Faldo was lambasted in 1991 for his failure to take rookie David Gilford under his wing in their Saturday foursomes coupling, which the press felt contributed towards their huge 7&6 defeat to Paul Azinger and Mark O'Meara.

But in 1995 he was lauded as the hero for his remarkable comeback win against Curtis Strange on the last hole, having been one down with two to play.

Faldo's triumph was a key point in Europe's total as they won the cup on US soil for the first time.

Nodding at the cited examples of his Jekyll and Hyde casting, Faldo said: "With hindsight, I'd have done things differently with David, but at the time we just didn't click. It sometimes happens.

"David needed an experienced arm around his shoulder and I needed someone to take the pressure off me. We went off down the first hole looking for a crutch that wasn't there.

"After we lost, all of the 'Faldo's a loner and not a team player' comments were printed in the British press with vitriol. I have always felt those labels to be very unfair and hurtful.

"Two years later with Monty at the Belfry, I was 'best mum ever' to him as we won two, halved one and lost one. But the press never gave me credit for that, which is typical.

"I've played 46 matches at the Ryder Cup with five different partners, I've got the best record ever, but because there was one guy I didn't get on with one morning, my epitaph was cast in stone - 'Faldo was not a team player'. What do you think?"

While it irks him, Faldo does not have an axe to grind about that misplaced perception. He lets his record of 25 points from 11 appearances do the talking.

And it is that wealth of experience that he feels makes him the ideal candidate to lead Europe at the K Club, County Kildare, against Tom Lehman's Yankees, in 2006.

Speaking at WH Smith in Basingstoke, after he'd signed copies of his auto-biography Life Swings for more than 200 fans in just one hour, Faldo's burning desire to do the job shone through.

The triple British Open and US Masters winner confessed: "The book probably does mark the end of my serious playing career, but when I started writing it in January 2003, I wanted to include this season because it was probably going to be my last chance of making the Ryder Cup team.

"I hoped I would play well enough to qualify, but, as they showed, they didn't need me!"

I suggest a firm belief that, if selected as a wild card, he could have raised his game, as Colin Montgomerie did despite a wretched season, to produce top-quality golf for the cause. Much in the same way he rolled back the years at Wentworth in the Volvo PGA championship in May of this year, when he eventually finished tied for third place.

"That sort of inspiration is what I need to get me going. At this stage of my career, it makes a lot of difference and encourages you to do something.

"The Ryder Cup is definitely an occasion that inspires you - and it'd be wonderful to experience it as the captain of the European team."