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Everton to hire Martinez as next manager

RobertoMartinez2 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Roberto Martinez may have been relegated with Wigan, but his FA Cup triumph looks like it kept him in the Premier League.

According to reports out of England, Everton have agreed a fee with Wigan for Martinez to become Everton’s next manager. The 39-year-old Spaniard will have big shoes to fill after David Moyes, who left for Manchester United, guided Everton into a top-ten place in the Premier League each of the last seven seasons.

What do you think of this report? Do you see Martinez being successful at Everton? Do you anticipate any major signings or transfers this summer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I remember listenting to this guy during WC commentary. Freakin guy is overrated. Watch him bring an Honduran or two to Everton.

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    • You think he’s an overrated manager because you weren’t overly impressed with his commentary? That’s like saying you think George Foreman was an overrated boxer because you don’t like his grill.

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      • I think it’s a broader jump from grills to boxing than from TV analyst to coach. People are often hired from the TV booth to coach sports because teams think the skills are in fact transferable, or at least preserve some of the analytical skills necessary for coaching.

  2. I just don’t see how he’s earned it. If your comparing him to Moyes, Moyes never battled relegation. I think there were plenty of better managers out there. As a Toffee fan, I’ll wish him well.

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  3. Hope he does well. Mainly because, like Moyes, he’s not afraid of scouting CONCACAF. The region needs more European managers with open minds towards its players – managers that will give them a fair shake. Now there’s one at one of the biggest clubs in the world and a big historic club like Everton.

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  4. I am not convinced of Martinez’s ability. This year he failed and in prior years his team had to come on with a huge rush to avoid relegation. Why couldn’t he get his players to play well in the first 35 weeks or so of the season every year? A very overrated manager, IMHO.

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  5. We’ll see. Martinez’s greatest talent in the EPL was finding ways to avoid relegation with a flawed club year after year- and this year, it finally succumbed. It’s hard to say if his abilities will translate to a steadier club. As a Toffee, wish him the best of luck.

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  6. Why do people automatically assume that Martinez will bring some players with him? Wigan were relegated. That speaks volumes about their players. Additionally, why would Wigan allow that? If Wigan are halfway smart, in agreeing to basically “sell” Martinez to Everton, they inserted a provision that he could not approach and/or sign any Wigan player under contract.

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  7. Martinez will bring Wigan players with him, and probably cheaply to fit in Everton’s budget. Kone, Maloney, McManaman, one or both of the James Mc’s.

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  8. Martinez is an EXCELLENT manager. The year he became manager wigan sold all of their good players. He continually found diamonds in the rough and every single year they sold them to bigger clubs and every year he found a way to stay up.

    Great smart manager playing with terrible players most of the time.

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  9. Martinez will have to convince the club to loosen the purse strings this summer. Everton needs a partner for Gibson, and even if Osman slides forward to share the CAM role with Barkley, there is no depth at either position. Not to mention Everton will need to replace Distin in another year (maybe 2), Heitinga is awful, and Jelavic may or may not ever find the net again. That is three positions that need investment, without even mentioning how thin the squad already is.

    In another year or two, Pienaar will need replaced, and unless Everton can qualify for Europe, Mirallas will want to move on in another year or two. Naismith is an okay squad player, but that is about it unless he can adjust to the English speed of play.

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      • Wigan is a relatively small club where it’s hard to pin down managerial effect, but he was there from 2009 onward and from 2010 on it was relegation battles every season. The FA Cup is rare sunshine, and was taken at the expense of a City side with a lame duck helm.

        There’s an argument to be made that Swansea have prospered well beyond his efforts under Rodgers and Laudrup.

        Swansea also won the League Cup this year, which might hint at how seriously the Big Clubs took the cups this season.

        But then you could make similar arguments about Moyes himself. I think that’s still one more trophy than Moyes won.

      • It’s also worth pointing out that it was Rodgers who got Swansea in the Premiership, not his predecessor, and Martinez arrived with Wigan already up and presided over their relegation back down.

        But you could argue based on some results that Martinez can coach a cup run.

        And I’ll be interested if Martinez brings the Spanish style with him to Everton, which has been pretty direct under Moyes. Swansea does play a pretty style of ball, and Wigan occasionally showed something.

      • Sure it was, but that’s the nature of a cup tournament, isn’t it? Go on a hot streak and win.

      • Relegation was much more detrimental than the FA Cup was beneficial. I’m sure that Wigan’s owners would gladly trade one for the other.

      • True, but we’re not talking about Wigan, we’re talking about Martinez. Winning the FA Cup alone merits at least a higher consideration for his managerial skills than he otherwise may not have been given…

  10. I think everyone saw this coming, but it is the most obvious and perfect fit. Moyes always had to work with a tight budget and Martinez is not a stranger to it either. I’m most interested in seeing what Martinez decides to do with the team dynamic and playing style.

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  11. This should be a good fit for Everton. Martinez always seemed to get the best out of the limited budget he had. Now he’ll have a bit more budget and we’ll see if he can succeed at a slightly bigger club. Of course, part of the challenge will be seeing who besides the goalkeeping coach Moyes takes with him. I’m still hoping he can bring Baines along to Man. Utd.

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    • us blues chaff at that “slightly bigger club”
      Everton are a massive club!
      Well, more bigger than slightly bigger, anyway.
      Martinez isn’t my first choice, but he isn’t the worst either.

      Baines is going nowhere.
      Even Fellaini is saying his fate is with Everton – but I’m sure he’ll go when you pay the 24 million – and I’m think we’ll spend that 24million wisely!

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    • While Wigan was fighting relegation I saw somewhere a comparison of their payroll with some other teams and theirs was about the same as teams at mid-table. Haven’t been able to find something on this quickly, however.

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