The unusual Martin O’Neill tactic that stopped Leicester players from passing to Robbie Savage.
For many Leicester City fans, Martin O’Neill stands among their most beloved managers of all time.
Claudio Ranieri may have led Leicester City to a historic Premier League title, and Brendan Rodgers finally delivered the long-awaited FA Cup triumph, while Nigel Pearson is also highly respected.
However, Martin O’Neill had a unique influence during his tenure.
O’Neill took charge in 1995, guiding the Foxes back to the Premier League and securing two League Cup titles before leaving for Celtic in 2000.
His time at Filbert Street was marked by astute signings who became club icons.
One such player was Gerry Taggart. A fellow Northern Irishman, Taggart was on his way to sign for Charlton Athletic when O’Neill convinced him to join Leicester instead.
His decision proved significant, as he forged a formidable defensive partnership with Matt Elliott.
Despite some challenging times, Taggart holds fond memories of his spell in the East Midlands.
Why Leicester Players Avoided Passing to Robbie Savage
Taggart was part of a talented squad featuring Steve Walsh, Muzzy Izzet, and his childhood friend Neil Lennon, all of whom contributed to Leicester’s success.
Robbie Savage was another key member, but in a 2019 interview with The Athletic, Taggart revealed an unusual instruction from O’Neill—players were told not to pass to Savage.
“We played to our strengths,” Taggart recalled. “O’Neill built the team around certain players like Muzzy Izzet, Emile Heskey, and Tony Cottee.
My role wasn’t to be a ball-playing centre-half; it was to keep the ball out of the net. Simple as that.
“After that, I had to give the ball to someone else—unless that someone was Robbie Savage. If I passed to Sav, I’d get a ——— from the boss.
I could give it to Muzzy or Lenny, but not Sav. His job was to run around and cause chaos, which he was brilliant at.”
Gerry Taggart’s Leicester City Career
Taggart officially signed for Leicester City in June 1998 from Bolton Wanderers.
His arrival, alongside Elliott and Walsh, coincided with one of the club’s most successful periods.
Leicester secured consecutive top-10 Premier League finishes and reached back-to-back League Cup finals.
The first attempt ended in disappointment, with a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
However, redemption followed a year later when they triumphed 2-1 over Tranmere Rovers in the final League Cup match played at the Old Wembley Stadium.
Taggart also made his mark in European competition, scoring his first goal in the UEFA Cup against Red Star Belgrade.
However, his playing time diminished after O’Neill departed for Celtic, coinciding with Leicester’s decline.
As the Foxes struggled, Taggart found himself out of favor. In December 2003, he moved to Stoke City on loan before making the switch permanent in January 2004, marking the end of his Leicester journey.
