Chris Dunlavy

Marti should have let Foxes run free

by
The LeaguePaper Team
1 February 2026

Chris Dunlavy
A FRESH TAKE ON FOOTBALL

CARLO Ancelotti’s unprecedented success hinged on the principle that great players should never be constrained by tactics.
It was a lesson learned the hard way. As a young coach at Parma in the summer of 1997, Ancelotti rejected the chance to sign Roberto Baggio because the former Ballon d’Or winner did not suit his preferred 4-4-2system.
Baggio, playing in a free role, hit 23 Serie A goals for Bologna that year. Parma, who were among the division’s lowest scorers, missed out on the title by two points. A chastened Ance...

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