Colin Montgomerie says he would have captained the European Ryder Cup team differently to Nick Faldo, adding that it would be a shame if Sandy Lyle, his compatriot, was not made captain for the 2010 event.

When Montgomerie, who was left out of the side for the first time since 1989, was asked if he thought Faldo had got the best out of his team, he replied, "possibly not".

"Certain things would have been done the same and certain things I feel I would have liked to have changed," Montgomerie said. "I feel for the players, I do, because I see them and I'm with them. I know what they have gone through and exactly how they feel coming home.

He was then asked if he felt Faldo was responsible for the defeat. "Going as favourites - proper favourites - and to lose 16 1/2-11 1/2 it's very difficult for me to say," he said. "I know from hearing from some of the guys and some of what went on that possibly, possibly not.

How the 2008 Ryder Cup was won

Follow the final day's play from Valhalla as the 37th Ryder Cup draws to a dramatic conclusion with today's singles matches

• Mission accomplished for United States

• Justin Rose's Ryder Cup diary: I'm heartbroken

• Analysis: misfiring big three cost Europe dear in Ryder Cup

Europe surrender under brilliant assault

The US reclaimed the Ryder Cup for first time since 1999 with a sustained performance in the singles matches at Valhalla

• Elementary approach pays off for J.B. Holmes

• Nick Faldo's bold approach backfires in failure to reclaim initiative from US

• Ryder Cup warning signs to watch out for

Multimedia

• The key moments, match by match

• Is Faldo to blame for Europe's defeat?

Related Links

• Clarke calls for change at the top

• Faldo must carry the can for lack of order

• Cup can set me up for major challenges ahead

"The line-up of the singles was very important being 9-7 down. Very important. It had to be absolutely bang-on right.

"It occurred to me that unfortunately Poulter and Westwood and Harrington are possibly our three strongest players and they might not - might, but might not - be included in the final shake-up.

"Play them earlier and they would have been involved 100 per cent. Only once in the whole history of the Ryder Cup has the number 12 decided the match. Bernhard Langer in 1991."

Despite reports suggesting Ian Woosnam and José María Olazábal might captain the European side in 2010, Montgomerie believes that Lyle deserves his chance. "I think it would be nice to see him," Montgomerie said. "I feel it would be a shame if it wasn't Sandy."

Darren Clarke, who was also left out of Faldo's team, has also been critical of the way the European team was set-up.

The Northern Irishman said Faldo had “tried to do what he thought was best for the team”, but Europe should be looking elsewhere for a captain for the match at Celtic Manor in 2010. “I think the days of doing a repeat captaincy are long gone,” Clarke said. “We have so many great players in line wanting to do the captaincy that they will all be given the chance.

“He was a fantastic player and a fantastic ambassador for European golf, but we have enough guys. Monty [Colin Montgomerie] is coming up, José María is coming up, so is Miguel Ángel Jiménez. There a quite a few in line for the captaincy - in years gone by we haven't had that.”