The Tiger is under pressure after a difficult start with his new club, but injuries to other forwards may give him an unexpected opportunity to prove himself.
The Cabbie believes he needs something to restore his confidence. A motivational song, an expensive jacket and a little fantasy football encouragement all enter the conversation.
A Difficult Start
The Tiger arrived at his new club with a major reputation, but the move has not developed as smoothly as expected.
Goals have been difficult to find, criticism has increased and supporters are beginning to question whether he can rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most feared strikers.
For a player used to confidence and success, the pressure is beginning to show.
The Cabbie thinks he needs a lift.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Injuries elsewhere in the forward line may give The Tiger another chance to lead the attack.
Football careers can change quickly. A player who appears to be outside the manager’s plans one week can suddenly become essential when teammates are unavailable.
The Tiger now has an opportunity to silence some of his critics.
He simply needs to take it.
The Eye of the Tiger
The title refers to the famous motivational song associated with determination, resilience and fighting back from adversity.
The Cabbie believes the message is appropriate.
The Tiger has been knocked down by poor form and criticism, but he still has the chance to recover. What he needs is confidence, focus and perhaps a soundtrack.
Whether singing the song will improve his finishing is less certain.
A Very Expensive Jacket
The conversation also turns to an electronic jacket reportedly used to help professional footballers recover and train more effectively.
The Tiger is interested until he hears the price.
At around £20,000, it is not the sort of item he expects to borrow casually. Even professional footballers have limits, particularly when the proposed solution sounds more like specialist equipment than ordinary sportswear.
The Cabbie’s motivational advice may be considerably cheaper.
Fantasy Football Encouragement
The Tiger may be struggling on the pitch, but some fantasy football managers have not completely lost faith in him.
A member of the Storybook fantasy community has selected him and is hoping that the striker will finally deliver the points his reputation once promised.
For The Tiger, that support provides another reason to believe his recovery can begin.
For the fantasy manager, it remains a considerable gamble.
The Football Inspiration Behind the Comic
The Tiger was inspired by Radamel Falcao during his difficult loan spell with Manchester United in the 2014–15 season.
Falcao arrived in England as one of the most respected strikers in world football, but injuries, limited playing time and inconsistent form made it difficult for him to reproduce his earlier success.
The strip reflects the pressure surrounding a high-profile forward who knows that every appearance may represent another chance to rebuild confidence and win over supporters.
Storybook turns that serious football situation into a conversation about motivational music, expensive training equipment and fantasy football points.
Characters Featured
The Tiger
The Tiger is struggling to justify the expectations surrounding his move. Injuries to other forwards may offer him another opportunity, but he must first rediscover his confidence.
The Cabbie
The Cabbie provides encouragement in his usual unconventional way. He offers ideas, questions and cultural references rather than straightforward tactical advice.
The Fantasy Football Manager
One optimistic fantasy player has kept faith with The Tiger, hoping that an unexpected start will finally produce a valuable return.
Behind the Gag
The Tiger needs confidence.
The Cabbie suggests an electronic jacket, discovers it costs around £20,000 and then turns to a cheaper motivational solution.
The final reference to Eye of the Tiger gives the struggling striker exactly the sort of dramatic comeback music his situation appears to require.
Whether the goals follow remains to be seen.
Looking Back
Originally published in 2015, Eye of the Tiger opened Chapter 3 by focusing on redemption, confidence and the difficulties faced by a celebrated player trying to recover his reputation.
The episode also brought The Tiger back to the centre of the Storybook universe after the political and carnival storylines of Chapter 2.
The next strip looks back at one of English football’s most memorable cup campaigns: the FA Cup of 1999.
