Roberto Martinez discussion

[hullefc]

Martinez: Top four more important than cups


Roberto Martinez is prioritising a top-four finish over cup success, despite the club's 21-year wait for silverware.

Everton might be in the midst of a 21-year wait for silverware, but manager Roberto Martinez said his priority is Champions League qualification.

Martinez believes that qualifying for the world's biggest continental club competition will prove more important in convincing young stars like John Stones and Romelu Lukaku to stay at Goodison Park.

Everton take on Manchester City in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

"I don’t think winning a cup will keep the young players, I think qualifying for the Champions League could help to keep young players," Martinez said.

"The reality is that we have taken a very different approach to what we are as a team than we took at this club three years ago. Three years ago it was a very experienced team who knew how to win games but had some sort of ceiling.

"Now we have gone very young with immense potential to go beyond that ceiling, and there has been investment in that potential so we will get the rewards from it."

Martinez said silverware was still a priority, but felt it was important to prioritise keeping the club's best young talent in order to keep Everton on track for greater glory in the future.

"I wouldn’t say I don’t want to win silverware, because that is what this club is about and our aim is to have that drive and ambition to do that, but the aim is to get into the top four and that is what we have set out to achieve," the Spaniard said.

"How long that is going to take I don’t know, but I don’t think winning a cup will help us to keep players. What will make it easier in the modern game is to fight for the top four positions in the league."

 

[Lowste]

In the semi final of a cup and some people still choosing to bash the manager.

@Paul Bernard stating @davek is "running out of excuses" just sums up some peoples total negativity. Now we need to beat Man City (the team owned by a multi billionaire--basically a country) or heads may roll i guess... haha, astonishing.

ironically those negative posters would prefer to watch negative football which to me just seems bizarre.

Let the manager build his squad and enjoy the football in the meantime!!!

Totally agree mate

 

[nsno-chris]

Martinez: Top four more important than cups


Roberto Martinez is prioritising a top-four finish over cup success, despite the club's 21-year wait for silverware.

Everton might be in the midst of a 21-year wait for silverware, but manager Roberto Martinez said his priority is Champions League qualification.

Martinez believes that qualifying for the world's biggest continental club competition will prove more important in convincing young stars like John Stones and Romelu Lukaku to stay at Goodison Park.

Everton take on Manchester City in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

"I don’t think winning a cup will keep the young players, I think qualifying for the Champions League could help to keep young players," Martinez said.

"The reality is that we have taken a very different approach to what we are as a team than we took at this club three years ago. Three years ago it was a very experienced team who knew how to win games but had some sort of ceiling.

"Now we have gone very young with immense potential to go beyond that ceiling, and there has been investment in that potential so we will get the rewards from it."

Martinez said silverware was still a priority, but felt it was important to prioritise keeping the club's best young talent in order to keep Everton on track for greater glory in the future.

"I wouldn’t say I don’t want to win silverware, because that is what this club is about and our aim is to have that drive and ambition to do that, but the aim is to get into the top four and that is what we have set out to achieve," the Spaniard said.

"How long that is going to take I don’t know, but I don’t think winning a cup will help us to keep players. What will make it easier in the modern game is to fight for the top four positions in the league."

Give me silverware you balding tit

 

[The Mighty Quint]

An ITK on another forum says Martinez and his coaching staff are concentrating on defensive work as a priority for the next few weeks to try to make us more solid at the back.

They had been working on it the whole week upto the Spurs game and we did seem a bit better organised on Sunday I will admit.

It's only took him 3 months to work out you need a defence in order to play football, anyway atleast it sounds like the penny has dropped and he's moving away from his "We'll score one more than you...hopefully" game plan.

 

[hullefc]

Give me silverware you balding tit

Sorted.

Sorry, I thought you were talking to me and left out the fat bit.

 

[polish]

Is there a reason why Martinez hardly ever utilizes his bench fully by using all 3 subs?

Is there a rule telling you need to make 3 subs in the game? Who told you that?

 

[davek]

Literally nearly butted my computer desk in disbelief ! Nou camp ? Sorry mate but its Martinez who is dying to play the Barcelona way - AND FAILING. It does not work, we have no messi, iniesta, suarez, Sergio busquets, pique etc etc....

You say 2 defeats in 12 ? How many of those are wins ? How many games should we have won ? Beaten at home to stoke, Leicester, draw away to Bournemouth after being 2-0 up and 3-2 with minutes to go ?

Sorry mate but your running out of excuses now, you once said lets see were we are at Christmas to prove the doubters wrong - guess what ? We are not picking up results on a consistent basis, we are 11th in the league and slowly falling, before you say we are a few points of the top 6 we are also a few points about Chelsea who are having a horrific season. For me he must beat City at home at least, heavy defeat to City or a shock at Dagenham could be a massive turning point.

Running out of excuses? What excuses need to be made? For the best football we've seen for a decade and more? For being in a cup semi final? For being a handful of points off a European spot?

If it's not broken......

 

[MikeH72]

His biggest problem is the GK? Change that and there's not much else to get right. A new dominant GK will give all the back four a boost.

But Dave, does it not concern you that Martinez keeps coming out in the press and blowing smoke up Howard's arse saying how great he is? 70-odd % of fans on this forum alone know that Howard is utterly useless and we need a goalkeeper, but the manager seems worryingly reluctant to address the problem. If he genuinely believes that Howard is as phenomenal as he says, I'd seriously question his judgement

 

[Blue Cheese]

Looking forward to tonight, Come on Roberto, make it count at home.

 

[boris]

But Dave, does it not concern you that Martinez keeps coming out in the press and blowing smoke up Howard's arse saying how great he is? 70-odd % of fans on this forum alone know that Howard is utterly useless and we need a goalkeeper, but the manager seems worryingly reluctant to address the problem. If he genuinely believes that Howard is as phenomenal as he says, I'd seriously question his judgement

I have to question you're judgement to be honest mate if you believe any word that football managers come out with in public.

Everything they say has an agenda behind it.

 

[MikeH72]

I have to question you're judgement to be honest mate if you believe any word that football managers come out with in public.

Everything they say has an agenda behind it.

But the fact that he keeps picking him week after week despite numerous errors actually seems to back up what he's saying mate. I think he does actually believe that. Football managers don't just lie about absolutely everything just for a laugh you know

 

[MACCA75]

An ITK on another forum says Martinez and his coaching staff are concentrating on defensive work as a priority for the next few weeks to try to make us more solid at the back.

They had been working on it the whole week upto the Spurs game and we did seem a bit better organised on Sunday I will admit.

It's only took him 3 months to work out you need a defence in order to play football, anyway atleast it sounds like the penny has dropped and he's moving away from his "We'll score one more than you...hopefully" game plan.

Seemed like against Spurs we went too far the other way, and say back inviting pressure. The second half was better but I think it will be a while before we get the mix right.

 

[hullefc]

Looking forward to this tonight, starting the 260 mile round journey soon. Should be a really decent crowd and under the lights as well. 'We shall not, we shall not be moved.....'. 'Onward Evertonians, onward for to see...'

 

[TommyDavo]

In the semi final of a cup and some people still choosing to bash the manager.

@Paul Bernard stating @davek is "running out of excuses" just sums up some peoples total negativity. Now we need to beat Man City (the team owned by a multi billionaire--basically a country) or heads may roll i guess... haha, astonishing.

ironically those negative posters would prefer to watch negative football which to me just seems bizarre.

Let the manager build his squad and enjoy the football in the meantime!!!

People don't want to see negative football, they want to see a balance between excellent attacking play and competent defence, think its called football.

 

[paulbefc]

puts a severe vaulting on hold

There will certainly be vaulting if we win the league cup.