When the dust raised by the tragic collapse of Marc Vivien Foe settles, the headcoach of the Indomitable Lions will have to provide solutions to the vacuum that has now been created. The emotional carthasis that almost wrecked the collective psyche of a nation and a people may be wearing thin, but the tactical and technical vacuum attendant on Marco’s absence will hunt Wilfred Schafer and his crew for some time.
The Indomitable Lions, as a human unit on the one hand, and a football team on the other should be ruminating on a new game plan. On the human front, some one has to rise up to the occasion, assist Song Bahanag and the old war horses to trim the green horns now making their debut in the squad. Some soft spoken, financially and emotionally stable big brother in the « family » of the Lions will have to step into the empty shoes, to motivate and mobilise the team in the heat of action. The cohesion and solidarity within the team appears to have been upgraded. In sorrow and in a tragedy, binding forces in humanity become stronger. When the gong of death tolls, humanity in its entirety is involved. After Marco therefore, the Lions, more than ever before, are glued together and ready to go the extra-mile in defence of the national colours. As a lasting homage to their departed comrade the Lions as a human unit will shed all that divides and strive for supreme patriotic goals.
In the technical and tactical domain, Wilfred Schafer and his crew have to adapt to the demands of the hour. Marco had the wherewithal to hold the mid-field and break new offensive grounds that reaped goals. He had the stamina, the sangfroid and the talents to cover distance, exploit vantage openings beyond his territorial jurisdiction. Marco in the eighteen metre box, awaiting a corner kick or an overhead lob, is lethal danger to a defence strategy of the opposing team. Some one will have to be groomed to take this role. Djemba, Mbami and other green turks can be moulded to inherit this responsibility. Their performance in the Confederations Cup is an indication of a bright future. Marco will remain a role model to them and hope can spring eternally in our collective breast. The plethora of individual talents at the disposal of Winfred Schafer require a better organisation and more friendly hurdles to build the reflexes of cohesion that remain the stock-in-trade of redoubtable teams. The 4-4-2 formula operational in the last tournament may have held fort. Some flexibility has to accompany any new options depending on the adversary. Mboma, Wome, Olembe and Etame Meyer, household names in the squad were all absent for diverse reasons from the tournament. Other names too were not on the roll call list — Zidane, Ronaldo, Roberto, Rivaldo and so on. In other words, the Lions cannot afford to rest on their laurels.
After Marco, the battle continues. The fallen hero did not fade away riding a bicycle in some leisure park in Beverly Hills. Marco went down in the heat of battle, with the gun still smoking. Some minutes before, precisely, during the half time break, he told his comrades to be ready « to give up your life » if that was what it took to secure victory. The Marco spirit, will become the barometer reading to measure the degree of patriotism, not only in sports but in all aspects of national life. The spirit of dedication, endeavour and courage in the face of challenges will forever remain part of the repertoire of the Lions’ values. Marco has left an endearing billboard that has to be protected. The Lion must remain awake, adapt to changing tides and keep the flagship in still waters. Schafer and his crew have to build on the current achievements and improve on their methods. It is obvious that the team draws more from their rich individualism than from some top rate coaching or managerial techniques.
Emmanuel TATAW
