Martinez is working overtime...
By Mollie Bennett (@molliebjourno)
As a 21-year-old Evertonian, Saturday’s defeat hurt – a lot - but it didn’t come as a surprise. In fact, it was all too familiar.
I was five months old when the Blues last won a trophy in 1995 and since then I’ve watched us become the nearly team – the team that the neutrals feel sorry for and laugh at, at the same time – as we continue to collapse when it really matters.
The laughs have increased in the last few weeks as the fans have been humiliated by Everton’s longest run without a win for 20 years. The run, which was compounded by an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Anfield and a semi-final exit in the last week, has seen the nail hammered into Roberto Martinez’s coffin – well at least from the fans point of view.
The club remains silent though, despite mounting pressure from the outside after two seasons of underachievement. That together with the stubbornness and delusion of Martinez has reached boiling point this week and today it has boiled over.
The Spaniard has appeared to have a swipe at David Moyes, his predecessor, stating: “If I had been given 10 years to work with Everton by being mediocre I wouldn’t accept that.”
This is a new low for Martinez who has clung onto the ‘nice guy’ tag throughout his time at Everton but clearly the pressure is getting to him.
He continued by insisting he is still the right man for the job though, despite leading Everton to their lowest home points tally in a top flight campaign – winning just four league games at Goodison all campaign.
“I want to believe with the work I’ve done for the last three years there are signs we are challenging for silverware and where Everton should be.”
Quite what signs Roberto is hinting at, leaves all Evertonians bemused and it’s these comments that have frustrated the Blues all season. It’s the blind faith and constant positivity, despite some truly embarrassing and unacceptable performances.
Although his job would still rightly be under threat, had the Spaniard admitted to Everton’s alarmingly obvious mistakes, and more importantly addressed them; he may just have brought himself more time. As it is, the Spanaird has over stayed his welcome and is now having a negative affect on the players.
In his first season in charge, Roberto gave me the best year supporting Everton that I can remember. I know that is sad, but believe there haven’t been many positives over the last 21 years.
He built on the foundations Moyes had left and brought an attacking style the Blues had been craving.
Since then though, his tactics have become predictable and frustrating, and he has destroyed the work Moyes left after 11 years in charge of the Toffees.
Now I would have no problem with Martinez installing his own philosophy from top to bottom, had it worked – but it’s been quite the opposite.
His comments towards Moyes were out of order and below the belt. Moyes did a good job with limited resources and had a lower budget than Martinez. And this ‘mediocrity’ Martinez is slating, is exactly where Everton remain under the Spaniard’s guidance.
That said Martinez has built a squad capable of much more than their recent performances suggest and that is maybe part of the problem.
Neither Moyes or Martinez are top managers – both have their strengths and weakness but ultimately neither have delivered silverware.
I will always be thankful for what Moyes did for the club, especially given the state it was when he took over. It’s important to remember the way Moyes left the club though, and that’s why Martinez’s first season was so refreshing. I also admire Martinez’s philosophy and respect what he tried to do for our club.
There is no doubting he is a nice guy with the right intentions, and it is a shame it has all gone so wrong - but football is a results business and they simply haven’t been good enough.
With the new owner Farhad Moshiri in place, and the current squad Everton have in their grasp – there is no better time to make a statement.
Everton have been settling for too long and it’s time for them to bring in a winner. Someone that might spice things up and upset a few people, but after 21 years of nearly men, surely it’s time for a change?
Jose Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini have both been linked with the job, along with a long list of others – and what’s to say we can’t appoint a top manager?
It’s time for the club to make a statement, and what better statement than appointing one of the best managers available in world football…