Jonathan Trott: Warwickshire's stand-in skipper out to improve on record as captain

Jonathan Trott is coming towards the end of his career with Warwickshire, which began with a century on his Bears debut at Edgbaston against Sussex in May 2003

Warwickshire captain Jonathan Trott enjoys leading the side - but says that he would enjoy the job even more if the Bears were winning matches.

The 36-year-old former England batsman has done the job in County Championship cricket since Ian Bell stood down as skipper in August.

But all five of Trott's Championship matches in charge have ended in defeat and the Bears are already relegated.

"I've captained five and lost five. Not a great feeling," he told BBC WM.

"It's a privilege to captain a great county like Warwickshire and I enjoy being captain. But I don't enjoy losing," Trott added after Friday's two-wicket defeat by Yorkshire at Headingley.

Trott will take charge of the Bears' final game this season when they host Hampshire at Edgbaston, starting on Monday, but that marks the end of his current remit.

And it remains a matter of speculation as to who will lead the side out when they return to play Division Two cricket next April.

The most obvious choice would be Birmingham-born all-rounder Chris Woakes, 28, who stood in as skipper when Bell missed a game in 2016, but he is still a centrally contracted England player.

Another reported candidate, Durham's Paul Coughlin, 24, has opted to move to Nottinghamshire.

Warwickshire first team coach Jim Troughton (left) and sport director Ashley Giles are the two with a decision to make on the Bears captaincy

Despite the big turnaround in their squad this summer, they still also have other experienced players left, the likes of wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, all-rounder Keith Barker and spinner Jeetan Patel.

As to whether Trott would take the job on again, he replied: "I'm not sure. I've not been offered it, so I can't comment."

When asked if he would consider it if the job was offered to him, he said: "I'd consider anything."

Warwickshire's future 'potential'

The one positive note for Warwickshire in such a poor Championship season has been the unearthing of so many new players.

On top of signing Australian seamer Ryan Sidebottom, the flourishing of batsman Matt Lamb, the signings of Surrey's Dom Sibley, Yorkshire's Will Rhodes and Somerset's Adam Hose, there were debuts in this week's narrow defeat by Yorkshire at Headingley for all-rounder Alex Thomson and opening batsman Liam Banks.

"There are some young guys in there who are starting out their careers at the club and it's great to see them do well," said Bears wicketkeeper Ambrose.

"It's really inspiring for us older fellas when we see that. In what has been a tough year, it's good to find some lights at the end of the tunnel."

Added to the players who have been given their chance in Championship cricket, Sibley, Hose, Ed Pollock and Aaron Thomason were a key part of the Birmingham Bears' mid-tournament transformation which helped them reach the T20 Blast final.

But Trott warns that the talent which has come into the club must continue to improve under Warwickshire sport director Ashley Giles and first-team coach Jim Troughton.

"It's pleasing that we've got some players into the side," he added. "But they're not picked because they're young. They're picked to perform.

"It's nice to have players with potential, but potential is a very dangerous word until it's fulfilled.

"It's up to them to go out there and perform. If you don't have the right approach, you know you won't be around. That's the type of mentality we have going forward under Ash and Trouts."