Francesco Totti remains one of the most creative footballers in Europe. But the sacking of Zdenek Zeman once again leaves people wondering what the future will hold for the iconic Roma player.
Monday 4 February 2013 14:18, UK
With Zdenek Zeman sacked, how much longer can the Roma legend win his battle against time?
There's a great line in Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson in which the author refers to the Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme as a glorious anachronism. The description conjures images of the enganche supreme raging against the dying of the light. But while Riquelme has stuttered in recent years, a familiar figure continues to prevail in Europe. Francesco Totti is two years older than Riquelme and, superficially at least, every bit the man out of time. With the socks rolled down to the ankles and the requisite swagger, it often seems a pity that he doesn't get to use the Adidas Telstar ball of days gone by, or perhaps for his every move to be accompanied by 1978-style ticker-tape. But Totti endures. Totti thrives. There are plenty of reasons why he shouldn't. "Look at the sides occupying the top positions in Serie A, and finding a classic trequartista is difficult - even Francesco Totti has been shifted to a deep, left-sided forward role in a 4-3-3," explains Michael Cox for ESPN. Italian football may have largely dispensed with the traditional No.10 in favour of hard-running athletes but Totti has succeeded in finding a role. In this respect, he has perhaps been fortunate to operate under the aegis of veteran coach Zdenek Zeman so far this season - a man often accused of refusing to grow up himself. The Czech retains a childlike love of attacking football and, more importantly, a love of Totti. Asked to name the three best Italian players, he once famously replied: "Totti, Totti and Totti." Saying his name three times doesn't change the facts. It's clear Totti is a one-off. And the demise of his role and players of his ilk only serves to accentuate the majesty of a true creator. As expected, Totti ranks among the top dozen players in Europe in terms of chances created. But when it comes to his trademark - the defence-splitting pass apropos of nothing - he is out all on his own.Accurate Through Balls - Major European Leagues 2012/13 | ||
Player Name | Team | Total |
Francesco Totti | Roma | 36 |
Antonio Cassano | Inter | 22 |
Andrea Pirlo | Juventus | 20 |
Santi Cazorla | Arsenal | 17 |