Marc Vivien Foe is a changed man and it’s all down to boss Kevin Keegan. The Manchester City chief has decided to cut free the engine room shackles on the Cameroon World Cup star and give the midfielder licence to roam.
And the results have been devastating with Foe scoring three times in a week as the Blues picked up four points on their travels and maintained their push up the Premiership pecking order.
Foe, on loan from Olympique Lyons in France, knows he is playing for his Maine Road future and his brace at The Valley went a long way to convincing fans and management alike that £4.5m will be money well spent in securing the 27-year-old’s services in the summer.
‘Happy for the fans’
« I am really, really, happy – not for myself but for the team and the fans, » the match saver said.
« It was very important that we maintained our unbeaten run. The goals are great but the points are better. We feel we are improving all the time as a team. »
Keegan said that he believes City fans are about to see the best of Foe who has been a big player on the world stage and attracted top-notch suitors for many years.
There had been an inevitable period of settling into a new team and fresh surroundings, reckoned the manager, who admits he has altered his views on the midfielder’s best position having kept a close eye on him in training.
« We have changed Marc’s role a bit, » he revealed. « When he came to the club we saw him as a central midfield holding player but the more we have watched him in training the more we have seen he has a lot of energy and drive.
« Those attributes coupled to his height and strength cause teams a lot of problems. Three goals in a week mean we will now be calling him prolific Marc Vivien Foe! He will be after the golden boot award now. Henry, Anelka and van Nistelrooy had better watch out.
New dimension
« I am very pleased with his recent performances, I thought he was our best player on Saturday. I thought that even if you take the goals away. I told him at half-time that it was the best he had played for us. He was winning it, giving it, passing it short and passing it long.
« We must decide towards the end of the season whether we want to sign him. We know he is not going to be cheap but he has certainly given a new dimension to our play. »
