Toon boss Alan Pardew has been forced to name a new skipper following the summer departure of Kevin Nolan to West Ham. Experienced players such as Steve Harper and Joey Barton were heavily tipped for the role but Pardew has instead opted for Argentine Coloccini, who joined the St James' Park club from Deportivo La Coruna in 2008. The 29-year-old admits he did not expect to be handed the armband but has revealed his determination to do a good job, which will mean taking up English lessons once again. "It was a surprise to be appointed because there are a lot of big players here. The club has a lot of leaders and I am sure the manager could have chosen any of them to be captain," Coloccini told the Daily Mirror. "That's why it's a surprise he picked me, but I'm really, really happy to have been chosen. "I spoke with my English teacher because I have to start my lessons again. I left my course last year because my English had improved to a certain level, but now I am the captain I think it needs to be even better. "Now I am the captain I will have a lot more speaking to do and I want to be able to do that properly."
