Àkoleoso

Àkoleoso (or Koleosoism; variously referred to as yọwọndè, or unshackled football) is a term used to describe a playing philosophy in association football, named for its main proponent, Cobre manager Marvelous Koleoso. The alternate names stem from the belief that the approach "unshackles" or "frees" players to act outside a rigid system, thus allowing for more dynamic approaches to problem solving in the myriad situations that can arise in a game. The system is analysed in depth in Akachese writer Samuel Kabange's socio-historical work When Football Broke Chains, which considers the role Àkoleoso played in the development of Cobrio and Akach as independent nations.

History

Historically, owing to their status as a colonised nation, Cobre football had been heavily influenced by Osarian tactical and philosophical stances, most notably the Osarian 4-3-3, which, while gradually falling out of favour in Osarius by the early 23rd century, was still quite popular in Cobrio. This approach did bring some success to Cobrio – including winning Baptism of Fire 68 – but after some time, as younger players emerged, it became clear that this adherence to the "colonial method" was no longer the best way to utilise their talents.

Decades of internal development had diverged the technical and tactical profiles of young Cobre players from the old Osarian model, and the differences were becoming increasingly stark. While Osarian football had a heavy focus on developing tactical nous and technical excellence, Cobre academies had begun leaning into ways to maximise athleticism in a reactive style of play, capitalising on transitions and exploitation of space. This reactive approach – which was also a feature of the Cobre take on the Osarian 4-3-3 anyway – became increasingly difficult to reconcile with its parent style. The Osarian 4-3-3, or Suzakudo was a footballing philosophy that fundamentally took an active approach to controlling the game through careful passing rotations and management of space through positional superiority, while the Cobre approach was increasingly surrendering control in order to force errors instead and capitalise on those opportunities.

At the same time, Marvelous Koleoso was a youth coach at Ohafia Pride, in charge of the under-15s. He had noted that the introduction of "unpredictability" and "chaos" made it more difficult for opposing teams to prepare a defence, then experimented with unorthodox roles and shapes within his standard 4-3-3 system. Upon realising that synergies could be created between unexpected pairs of players, and chained throughout the team, he began to intensify the experiments, feeding his ideas back to senior staff. Seeing merit in the approach, Ohafia Pride began working on specifically recruiting "street ballers"; young players who refined their skills in the various "football cages" in urban Cobrio, and thus closer embodied the unpredictability and chaos that Koleoso felt it was possible to weaponise. Within a couple of years, the Pride's underage sides began to dominate the Cobre youth leagues, leading to Koleoso gaining more and more attention as a coach. While he was ostensibly being lined up for a move to the senior team – rumours suggested the board were waiting until enough of the young players he had helped shape were ready for senior football – ultimately, he was offered the manager position at Muhanmaga Magic – an M'Pongo-based Ounaian National League side owned by Revolutionary Sports, itself an investment vehicle of Cobre businessman Samori Koné – where he was promised complete control over tactics and transfer strategy.

Koleoso arrived in M'Pongo along with some young Cobre players he had coached at Ohafia Pride, and it did not take long for Muhanmaga to climb the league table. They ultimately finished third in Koleoso's first season, with a number of high-scoring matches displaying the chaotic nature of his footballing philosophy. Koleoso's philosophy also impressed Koné, who sanctioned heavy investment in the youth academy and training facilities in Muhanmaga, and began pushing for the same approach to be taken at Dizuogogon – an unofficially partnered club back in Cobrio, also owned by Samori Koné. Dizuogogon promoted five academy players that year, and only narrowly missed out on promotion to the Cobrio Panther League. In an interview with Ounaian media, Koleoso referred to his approach as "playing with freedom", and "unshackled from the colonial mentality". Elsewhere, after Dizuogogon scored a notable win away from home against perennial promotion contenders Golden Dragons, Koné jokingly called the approach Àkoleoso (Koleosoism), which stuck.

Features

Mo sheré mo lo and Okpokoro

"Mo sheré mo lo" (often shortened to mo sheré) translates to "I play and I go", and refers to a proactive movement made by a player in possession. The player makes a pass, and then immediately moves. Often, only certain players perform mo sheré frequently throughout a game, as they seek to drive the team's attacks. It is not unheard of for all outfield players – and even the goalkeeper in rare situations – to perform mo sheré. Okpokoro broadly refers to a "platform" – be that to advance play, relieve pressure, or create a goalscoring opportunity. The term can also mean the action of facilitating mo sheré itself, though, in the sense that a second player is required to provide okpokoro for the play to be made. Typically, the movement of mo sheré is forward, toward the opponents' goal, in order to receive a return pass and build okpokoro, upon which the kwaaji ("canvas") can be laid out, and art made.

Common analog terms for these actions are "pass and move", and "one-two". Koleoso's philosophy suggests that these actions are more than just "things to be done", and reveal a deeper meaning to the game itself, and the underlying artistry of the sport.

"If mo sheré were simply passing the ball and then moving, it would not need a definition. In the same way, okpokoro is more than just making yourself available for a pass. Both actions require trust and understanding. When I play, can I trust you to protect the ball and return it? Can you trust me to find a space where you can make the return? All these things must be considered for true yọwọndè."

— Samuel Kabange, When Football Broke Chains

Akaba and Inapaa

Visualisation of "Akaba"
Note how the ball "climbs" toward goal

Funpo

Funpo means "squeeze", and refers to the movement of players to "compress the space" both in and out of possession. Àkoleoso generally prefers most players to remain in a tight space, closer together. With the exception of one or two players (see: Telorun and Itulekwaa), the entire team typically compresses into a fraction of the playing area while in possession to maximise the number of pass options for the player in possession. Out of possession, funpo refers to gradually advancing from a low-mid block to block passing lanes and push the opposition backwards at each step.