I mean, I shouldn't speak for someone else's intention, but it seemed to be mentioned in a pretty positive manner - there was certainly nothing there that should lead anyone to believe they didn't want Matthews to do it. They later cemented this by talking about how players sacrificing themselves for the betterment of their team is traditionally well-received by teammates.How does saying something mean he wants it?
When someone calls a player their future Captain, and then speaks of a play as the kind of thing that will make teammates view him as their Captain as well, you can usually connect the dots.