Lucio to lead FC Goa from the back in ISL 2015

Mazy dribbles, quick snapshots and well taken goals are all the things that FC Goa’s new marquee player, Lucio loves to stop. Lucio is a player who comes from an era of no nonsense defending. During the era when Italian defence won them the World Cup, he emerged as one of the strongest defenders in the Serie A - this was after several successful several seasons at Bayern Munich.

It might prove to be an astute signing as age is less likely to affect the game of a defender, as compared to a forward or a midfielder. Teams in the ISL do play an engaging brand of football but the intensity cannot be compared to Europe’s elite leagues, something that might help Lucio adapt to his surroundings faster. Further, he is a leader on the pitch captaining the Brazil World Cup squad in 2006 apart from featuring in the 2002 and 2010 editions.

Lucio is one of those players whose quality cannot be questioned. If anything, the only cause for concern could be how his ageing legs will handle games coming thick and fast in the next two months. The fact that he gets to work under the guidance of a Brazilian legend, Zico, should be enough motivation for him to get his game up to speed.

While so much has been said about his defensive capabilities and physical presence, Lucio does occasionally carry a significant threat about him. Some would even go so far as to call him ungainly and elegant at the same time. The Brazilian sometimes crashes into a challenge, scrambles for the ball and then sets off on a wonderful mazy dribble, reminding people where he comes from. Fans of FC Goa should be hoping that the right opportunities arise for Lucio to display his comprehensive range of footballing ability; the team will be much better for it.

Realistically speaking, all of Lucio’s qualities considered, it would be foolhardy to go into a season with everything riding on him. Goa have ensured that they have backup options in case Lucio needs time to settle into the squad.

Lucio would probably be allowed a few appearances from the bench to get him bedded into the pace of the game, before providing him with a regular place in the starting line-up. He is also a player who should develop into a tactical adviser for Zico, having played under the tutelage of Louis Van Gaal and Mourinho among others. For Lucio to play in the heart of defence and lead the team every game would be an ideal scenario, but it is more likely that we will see him used only when the situation calls for it.

It is within reason to imagine Goa doing very well if they manage to play at their best throughout the season. That is what Lucio has been brought into the squad for, to instil a winning mentality. One last thing worth mentioning was that Zico seemed to have had a disagreement with their previous marquee player Robert Pires that boiled over publicly at the end of last season. Though the reason behind that is unknown, it is undoubtable that the unease would have been visible within the dressing room.

With not too much pressure on his shoulders, working with a coach whom he trusts, Lucio should lead Goa to better their results and potentially reach the final. They were billed as one of the pre-season favourites and the signing of Lucio does that billing no harm.