Blues' stars are going nowhere this month

, 8 January, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Martinez reiterates stance for January transfer window

Roberto Martinez remains insistent that Everton will finish the season with the club's most coveted players in place, telling attendees at a special supporters event at Finch Farm last evening that "everybody should be very assured that we are not going to lose any of the top performers that we have this season."

Though speculation linking Leighton Baines with Manchester United has simmered somewhat from its peak over the summer, there remain plenty of media outlets intent on pushing stories of a move by David Moyes for the 28 year-old.

And Ross Barkley's impressive form under Martinez this season and consequently rising profile have also made his name fodder for speculation in the red tops, with United and Chelsea said to be circling the 20 year-old with an eye on whisking him away from his boyhood club.

Martinez, though, remains focused on improving rather that destabilising his team during the January transfer window. He openly admitted that only bids for John Heitinga and Nikica Jelavic would be entertained this month.

"For me, the priority is not to lose any of the dynamics [of an in-form squad] Maybe we'll bring [in] one, two, very specific players that are going to help the ones we have [but] we're not going to lose any of the top performers.'

The manager was speaking with many of the Everton fan sites prior to Director of Communications, Alan Myers' Everton Tea Party where a select group of supporters were invited to an evening of talk about the club which included a Q&A session with Martinez, Alan Stubbs, David Unsworth and Darren Griffiths. [Full audio of the interview is available courtesy of the Followtonians podcast.]

The Spaniard spent over an hour discussing his footballing influences, philosophy and impressions of his new club after seven months in the job during which time he has ushered in some significant changes on and off the pitch.

Most notably, of course, is Martinez's emphasis on possession football, a change in style influenced by Johann Cruyff's revolution at Barcelona in the early 1990s and one he has implemented in all three of his managerial tenures to date. The 40 year-old described how impressed he has been with the speed at which Everton's players have adapted to the change.

He admitted that the Norwich, West Brom and Cardiff draws at the beginning of the campaign were frustrating but said, "it evolved and we haven't looked back since Newcastle," a game in which the 3-2 scoreline did not tell the true story of the Blues' dominant display.

"It took me six months at Swansea to change the philosophy to a possession team," he continued. "At Wigan it took two and a half years, five windows, because of financial situation to change the whole style and be effective with it. At Everton it took seven weeks.

"We were so impressed with the staff. I was so amazed how quickly the players took those concepts on, particularly the older players. [Often] it would take one [training] session."

Martinez cited his relationship with Bill Kenwright as another reason why he has settled so quickly into the role of Blues' manager:

"The relationship between the manager and the Chairman of the Board is really important. I knew I could trust the Chairman. I always felt excited having that strong relationship. It's important when you have a chairman who thinks the same way."

Quotes or other material sourced from Followtonians





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