European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn admits he is now tuned in to the 12 players who might make up his team for next year's event.

Bjorn replaces Darren Clarke in the hot-seat as Europe look to regain the trophy from the USA at Le Golf National in 2018.

The year-long race for qualification begins at this week's D D Real Czech Masters and the top four players from the European Points List and the leading four from the World Points List will automatically qualify for the showpiece event.

Bjorn then has four picks of his own to make up his dozen and the Dane confessed that the hard work in moulding his team starts now.

"So far there has been a lot of planning, but now all my focus turns to the 12 who are going to play, which is by far the most important thing," Bjorn told Sky Sports.

"I am so close to a lot of the players, many of them are great friends of mine, and I am trying to balance the captaincy with those friendships.

"So many of those relationships extend beyond The Ryder Cup, and I've got to realise that I have got to be a captain of these players and some will be there and some will not."