Roberto Martinez’s mantras have become muddled and it’s time for a change at Everton

The Catalan breezed into Everton on a wave of positivity and with an identifiable plan to take the club back to the top. Three years on, he has sadly lost his way and much of the belief in this vision from the players and fans is long gone.

Matt Jones 27/04/2016 48comments  |  Jump to last

Should Roberto Martinez be slipped his P45 and be ushered out of the Goodison Park exit door, as is anticipated in the coming weeks, there will be a lot of rejoicing within the Everton supporters.

As the sun sets on a season of occasional promise, opportunities relinquished and many painful moments endured, that's understandable. The statistics intertwined with this term are a damning indictment of this regime and with the crutch of a potential cup triumph kicked away so brutally in Saturday's last-gasp loss to Manchester United, a taste for change is festering in fans.

This writer will greet Martinez's departure with mixed emotions, though. Not because a new figurehead isn't needed to push the football club forward — it is — nor because the 42-year-old is an amicable and engaging person, but because having been one of many swept up in the man's utopian vision, it's now inevitable it won't come to fruition.

Going to the game had become stale under David Moyes, which was natural after 11 years in charge. And the enthusiasm, positivity and, most significantly, ambition Martinez professed was a welcome shot to the arm of supporters who had been accustomed to settling for their lot.

Article continues below video content


Going toe-to-toe in a derby with Liverpool, rocking up at Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium with a swagger; they were shows of backbone supporters had been craving for years. Martinez embraced the club's silver-laden past and made no secrets of his willingness to add to it.

“Not many football clubs have done that [win the title nine times], and not many players here would have realised that.” he said in 2014 in an interview with the Daily Mail's Matt Lawton, in which it was revealed the Catalan had left a blank canvas at the top of a staircase adorned with the club's former glories to motivate the current crop. “I hope it inspires everyone here to want to win it again.”

The vision was clear: build a young team, grow as a football club and push on to win things. It was a galvanising plan and one which was easy to be enchanted by, as there was a steadfast belief in the process.

Yet three years on, while it's a blueprint in which the outlines have faded significantly, Martinez himself, despite being accused of being stubborn and unmoving when it comes to his principles, has lost track of that initial, uplifting outlook.

Perhaps it's a product of poor results, but now the bigger picture is something to be embraced, according to the former Wigan boss.  Any soaring ambitions have been clipped, with points towards a long-term vision. 

“I just want to believe that with the work I have done for the last three years there are signs there that we are getting close to challenge for silverware and where Everton should be,” said Martinez after the semi-final loss.

Of course, Everton aren't going to be rid of their inferiority complex and transformed into serial winners overnight, but the climb to the summit seemed clear and attainable in the beginning when Martinez strode into Goodison donning his brown shoes. Now it looks a treacherous and unconquerable route.

That's been reflected in performances the last two terms. In 2013-14 there was a daring streak to Everton's football and a total certitude in the methods being implemented. Plans for matches were concise, diverse and tailored. This term has been the antithesis of that.

Systems have been tweaked peculiarly, personnel shuffled aimlessly and standards in-game have fluctuated wildly. Consistency has become foreign to Martinez, with the manager showing all the hallmarks of a coach with a cluttered mind. The second half of Everton's surrender against Arsenal at Goodison Park and the 4-0 capitulation in the Anfield derby were tangible manifestations of these woes.

So while the supporters and the players look to have almost unanimously lost faith in the notion that the Martinez method will be a long-term and prosperous one, the belief the man himself had in it seems to have waned too.

Those few who still watch the manager's weekly press conference will attest to the fact that, for the majority of his tenure he's spoken with an unmoving faith in methods and opinions, often to the point where he's accused of plain delusion. Lately that staunch self-trust has trickled away.

Speaking in between and either side of the losses to Liverpool and Manchester United, Martinez emitted the aura of a man who has lost his way. His comments in the post-match press conference of the semi-final, when he took a thinly veiled shot at his predecessor David Moyes for “10 years of mediocrity”, seemed born out of desperation.

There are other flaws to his management style which have also contributed to this desperate campaign for the Toffees, including an unwillingness to make tough decisions, address longstanding flaws and instil vital foundations before any flourishes. 

It's a flyaway style of coaching which can work on any given day, but the basis for it needs to be conviction in the model. Sadly for Martinez, it seems any trace of belief in this vision from the players and fans is long gone. When the same can be said for the manager himself, a new outlook is surely inevitable.

Follow @MattJFootball
Share article:

Reader Comments (48)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Derek Thomas
1 Posted 27/04/2016 at 06:28:40
Nothing against you Matt, but by now, except for a few diehards, you're preaching to the choir...not saying your wrong mind.

Yet another in a long, long, line of eloquent / pretty much nail / head denunciations... if anymore were needed, which unless something happens today, it seems they are.

I daren't, (well I do, I just haven't done it yet) look back in the archives to see how long the ground swell of opinion has been building for.

Mr. Moshiri, please put Him, Us, (and those poor reporters, who have to listen to the daily tripe...I know most of them work for some sort of 'Daily Tripe', but you wouldn't treat a detainee at Gitmo to this type of torture) out of our collective misery.

'Action This Day' is what Winston used to write...sounds good to me.

Andy Walker
2 Posted 27/04/2016 at 07:38:44
We must take a step back and reflect. All the discussions about Martinez also include Moyes. Why is that?

There was a narrative cleverly created years ago that Moyes was no good, useless, a joke etc.. Words and expressions like 'stale' 'boring' 'KITAP1' 'a loser', 'knife to a gunfight' - Moyes' own, but the words of a genuine pragmatist- plus various derogatory comments about his physical appearance (never used against RM), the list goes on and on. Now Moyes was never a brilliant manager but he was a good manager who stabilised our club, won manager of the year 3 times and manager of the month 10 times. He then left us to join Manure which didn't help his PR either, but he'd had 11 years and had the chance to join one of the biggest clubs in the world. He didn't break his contract.

He was not above criticism, I criticised him and the team on many occasions, but on balance he did a decent job for us. But for some reason he came in for disproportionate criticism. So what? some may say, well in my opinion the anti Moyes narrative became the justification for the appointment of Martinez being a good one. It went along the lines that Martinez was everything Moyes wasn't, following Martinez's appointment TW was full of comments like 'this will be so different to Moyes', 'Moyes would never have done this' etc . Just take a look back at the comments at the time, they neally always reference Moyes and we are still doing it. The problem with this is that it hid the reality that Martinez was not a decent EPL manager. He'd relegated his last club but this was hardly mentioned and if it was brought up it was dismissed as Martinez wasn't like Moyes. It was the perfect displacement activity to take the focus off Martinez.

Our club must not fall into this trap again and we as fans must start to look at facts and evidence when we appoint our new manager so we don't let him off the hook like we did with Martinez when he was appointed.

Jim Bennings
3 Posted 27/04/2016 at 07:39:08
I believe that the decision was probably made after last Wednesdays Merseyside derby that the parting of ways is for the best.

It won't happen until June though you can be sure of that.

Chris Regan
4 Posted 27/04/2016 at 08:09:43
Derek, I couldn't agree more. I've heard all this before. I'm waiting for Martinez to go, simple as that.
John Keating
5 Posted 27/04/2016 at 08:37:51
Matt

You make it sound as if it went tits up this season.

The fiasco that is Martinez started visually at the end of his first season.

Last season only proved the guy was not for changing and should have been binned.

As for this season............an unnecessary disgrace

Steavey Buckley
7 Posted 27/04/2016 at 09:21:22
Everton under Moyes, because of financial restraints, were only 3 players short of a top four finish. So, whoever replaces Martinez will have a diificult task restoring what Moyes had in his final season. Because at present, there is very little confidence by the fans in the whole team.
Brian Mahoney
8 Posted 27/04/2016 at 09:37:16
The rot set in the last 5 or 6 games of his first season. Then the following season we were all using the Europa League as an excuse for our poor performances, two of which were the most abject I've seen away from home to Hull and Stoke. I personally thought he should have been sacked after either of these games; it wasn't to be and so it was on to this season.

The first half of the season gave us renewed hope after some fantastic attacking play although the defensive frailties began to show again but these were exciting games to watch, even if the results were not what we deserved.

Now we are near the season's end and this latter half has seen us put in awful performances – Lukaku in particular, since he made his wantaway statement, has been dire.

This board needs to make a change asap; it will be interesting to see what kind of atmosphere we will have on Saturday.

Ian Jones
9 Posted 27/04/2016 at 09:39:45
If Martinez does in fact leave the club, that may be just the lift the players need to perform better!
Peter Gorman
10 Posted 27/04/2016 at 09:40:51
I'm with Andy Walker on this; the dour Moyes / exciting Martinez narrative keeps raising it's head without becoming anymore credible.

For 'positivity' read 'bullshit' and you have the Martinez era in a nutshell. The only real difference between the two styles was Martinez insistence on possession which actually hampers our attack, though we may see the odd well-worked goal. Keeping the ball at the back doesn't increase our goal threat, it increases the threat to our goal. The league twigged this at the end of his first season and began pressing us. Martinez still hasn't twigged.

Sorry you got caught up in the hype Matt but I personally have been yearning for the day he leaves for over a year now and shall not mourn when, if ever, it comes.

Rahman Talib
11 Posted 27/04/2016 at 10:06:43
I think if they take Moyes back, he will.do wonders.

Back then he was operating with a shoe string budget, twice the club nearly went into administration and yet we survived. He was forced to sell all out stars, Arteta, Rooney, Mad Dog Gravesen etc just to save the club from going under. Yet he delivered and nearly got us a trophy.

Now, with massive funds Moyes can easily deliver us the goods. We need him to reorganize our defences like before.

Steve Hogan
13 Posted 27/04/2016 at 10:43:30
The simple fact is , HE HAS TO GO. The players are visibly upset by his continued presence as team manager, the fans do not trust him anymore, and nearly all of us stopped believing in his 'failed' mantra that we are actually progressing on the field.

It is simply boring and repetitive to list continually where he has gone wrong, but the visible decline in the teams performances over two season's is quite shocking.

More alarming is that it has been allowed to happen before our very eyes, but not apparently in the eyes of the Directors who effectively run and manage the club?

Are we witnessing men of vision, who really believe we are on the cusp of something that the masses cannot see, because we are not blessed with their foresight and perception as far as Martinez is concerned, or is it simply the terrible malaise which has afflicted the club for so long now that 'change' is unwelcome in any form.

Ironically, Leicester City were roundly criticised a short time ago when the buffoon Nigel Pearson was sacked after keeping them up when all around were convinced they would be relegated from the Premiership.

Clearly, someone at that club felt that change was needed if they were to move forward and simply not settle for the status quo of existing in the Premiership.

Sorry to say, I don't think we have those people at our club?

Rob Halligan
14 Posted 27/04/2016 at 10:44:44
If a couple of Bill's actors consistently screwed up every night in one of his West End plays, would he replace the actors with somebody better? Just saying, like.
Peter Gorman
15 Posted 27/04/2016 at 11:09:51
Steve Hogan, good point about Leicester but I also remember Southampton sacking Adkins (who was doing ok and had just brought them up to the Prem) for Pochettino simply because they had a vision for where they wanted the club to go. Pochettino chose to leave so they went in for Koeman.

Puts our board to shame that.

Don Alexander
16 Posted 27/04/2016 at 11:49:50
NSNO - No Sodding No-how Onboard.
Scott Hamilton
18 Posted 27/04/2016 at 11:52:36
Don (16) - Unfortunately it's know-how!
Damian Wilde
19 Posted 27/04/2016 at 12:06:21
There's only so many 'Martinez Out' articles we can do. As for this:

"because the 42-year-old is an amicable and engaging person,"

He's an annoying tit, who talks absolute nonsense. In the words of Chris Surton "is he mad?"

#MartinezOut

Chris Regan
20 Posted 27/04/2016 at 12:34:05
If there are any Martinez fans left I'd love to hear there justification for him staying.
Stuart Gray
21 Posted 27/04/2016 at 13:13:16
I never get the defence people put up against Moyes. He has proven since he left us that he isn't a great manger. He deliberately lowered expectations because that was all he could achieve.

He was the right man for a team with no money and fighting relegation. That WAS us. I thank him for what he did, but he stayed 4 years too long.

He has proven that he take the champions of England and make them...mediocre. He can get sacked in Spain too. Oh and he's won....nothing.

It is time for Martinez to go, but at least in his first season he showed what could be achieved. Get the right manager and we can challenge.

Lets not forget that in 2013 going into the final 3 games we had 69 points (same as Spurs right now). It is a shame that Martinez couldn't continue that and like I said it is time for him to go, but I would argue that some of the football we have produced since he took over enables us to call Moyes dour.

Jeff Hughes
22 Posted 27/04/2016 at 13:25:38
Sorry Matt, I don't subscribe to your analysis. #5 John Keating is spot on.

After an encouraging start when he released the players from the disciplined Moyes set up to attack, he was found out towards the end of the first season and possession for the sake of it has increasingly led to slow, sterile and frankly boring football, occasionally lifted by a passionate performance. He has not been willing to adapt his approach and he has gradually lost the players and the fan base.

English football is highly regarded because of the passion rather than technical brilliance and long may it stay that way. If we had to model our football on a continental style it should be German football rather than Spanish which is is based on speed, movement and power.

As for Moyes, he made good progress throughout his tenure and his biggest weakness was a timid approach to playing the so called big teams and yes he did appear at times to put a lid on our jar but perhaps with money he might have been able to take that step forward.

More than anything, I cannot abide Martinez for the way he treats us the fans. Does he actually believe that anyone swallows his positive spin and patronising sound bites? Honest performances on and off the pitch and you will get fans behind you!

Roy Johnstone
23 Posted 27/04/2016 at 14:03:05
To describe the legacy of a man of too many words, I will use 4.
Fur coat, no knickers.
Peter Murray
24 Posted 27/04/2016 at 14:05:40
Goodison Park - once a heaving, bed drop of optimistic football followers, has in this "no marks" control, turned into an unfortunate morgue. Is Coronation Bill watching a different team game, events elsewhere, as it is totally painful for us normal blue supporters. Currently our players, appear clueless & just pass for passing sake, especially at Goodison !!! Wembley was so awful, regardless of our second half play - too late & in the end, didn't remove any of our Wednesday nights performance or lack of, from our horrendous memories. Regardless of him being a good human being etc. etc. he is our cross that we have to bear - just sack him & give us a price, just amazing its taking such a time for this obvious decision, to be actually finally taken !!

Better still - also get rid of our no mark chairman, possibly illness an excuse - as he is just also totally inept, not living in, working in the 21st. century. Surely if one of his selected leading actors, performed collectively, so poor, week in week out, action would immediately be taken, by him, not with any delay ?

2 Semi finals is nothing, we are going backwards, with all our internationals performing poorer this season, & Barkley, as an example - offering very little, & is just a shadow of the Spurs player Delli.

Kenwright - we've already wasted millions on this so called Russian star, our no marks money payment, would be nothing compared to this - action please, now regardless !!!

COYB - & give us some hope of Blue normality, against the cherries, this weekend.

Nathan Rooney
26 Posted 27/04/2016 at 15:12:54
As I said on another thread, I fear that the only possible explanation for the delay in getting rid of Rubbertoe (as the shite peddler Deadly Dave Whelan used to call him!) is that Bill is still steering the good ship Everton into oblivion.

In my glass half full moments, I hope & pray that the delay is due to Mr Moshiri studiously looking through all possibilities for the next manager, judging every candidate fully and carefully, before he launches bobby out of his finch farm office window and says "welcome to the best club in the world Diego/Marcelo/Manuel/Frank/Ronald" *delete where appropriate*.

It really is insane to extend the agony for us all (including Bobby - I am starting to become more concerned for the state of his mental health, with the continual shite he keeps spouting), he is done at Everton.

The deed should have been done on Saturday, and then we all move forward, getting behind one of our old guard for the remainder of the season, immediately lifting the mood and malaise hanging over us all.

Look at the internet and other sites regarding protests/chanting/booing/demonstrations - the guy invading the pitch and trying to attack bobby v Saints?! - the mood at the match for the remainder of the season is going to be terrible and only get worse, until Martinez is removed from his position.

One more thing, I know its bad currently and the majority of us have had enough, but we must aim much higher than a certain David Moyes for our next manager, for gods sake!

I struggle to understand how people can even consider him after the way he decided to leave us, plus some of the crap football he served up when he was actually comitted to us as manager..... we don't need another bottler, thanks very much, there are enough of them crossing the white line every sodding week.

Phil Walling
27 Posted 27/04/2016 at 15:32:04
Nathan, more likely Bill's PRO is working full-time on the wording of the inevitable vote of confidence. Writing scripts for the players to trot out on an hourly basis has probably delayed the 'official statement' somewhat but it is expected before the Bournemouth game on Saturday.

Any protests on the day will be put down to Evertonians' frustrations at exit at the semi-final stage in TWO competitions. ( Roberto having become a victim of his own success having built up fans' aspirations too soon and spent too long in the Europa last season).

Of course we know it will be bullshit but that is just about the only thing this club are champions of under the Kenwright/ Martinez regime !

Joseph Terrence
28 Posted 27/04/2016 at 19:00:54
What a manager!
Andrew James
29 Posted 27/04/2016 at 19:27:56
He's got a lot wrong but I would like to say we should not forget the knife-through-butter attacks against Wolfsburg, Young Boys, Arsenal at Goodison in 2014, United the same season. There are more but sadly they were less so last season and this year we seemed to reserve them only for sitting ducks in the relegation zone or lower leagues.

I think he's been more frustrating than Moyes (and he was frustrating with his dropping deep) because he could get so much right and then too much wrong.

I was thinking about this today. The heart of the midfield is the heart of the problem. Barkley and Lukaku score nearly 40 goals between them. We have really good defenders who are poorly set up. But who in our midfield is any good? Our best man there is a creaking 35 year old who made his name as a left back! The middle usually comprises of defensively moulded players or water carriers. It clearly doesn't protect the back four given how many goals we shed and it doesn't contribute to the FOR column.

From his second season, he's been unable to gel the midfield. The virtual retirement of Osman is telling (yes, yes I know I'll get pelters for that) but we just seem to have either defensive or attacking midfielders. No actual players who can do both.

Ray Robinson
30 Posted 27/04/2016 at 19:31:12
Andrew, do you mean the 4-1 win at home to Wolfsburg that we could have lost 10-4? Even on that glorious night our defence was cut to pieces. Nothing has changed.
John Graham
31 Posted 27/04/2016 at 19:34:39
The problem with Moyes was he played safe football. It was basically cram the midfield with ball winners to stop being overrun, have a forward who will chase everything down but was unlikely to get past 15 goals a season. Usually had a well organised defence. Did get the best out of most players and the team was one of the fittest in the league. Hopefully he has learnt from his time at United that fans want something to give them a boost. A forward who will terrify defences. A winger who will run past players to the byline. Think these days it's all about speed energy skill and fitness none of which we have in the team at the moment.
Kevin Judge
32 Posted 27/04/2016 at 20:32:56
Don't forget, all you David Moyes fans, he took over the Champions... yes, the Champions of England. And he basically fucked up straight away with his boring style of football. That's why he got the sack after 6 months in charge.

Remember and don't forget he took over the Premier League Champions and fucked up.

I rest my case.

Jay Harris
33 Posted 27/04/2016 at 20:37:05
Enough has been said.

He just needs to be gone asap.

Grant Rorrison
34 Posted 27/04/2016 at 20:48:23
Ray 30. You could look at -any- game that way. We won 4-1 and 2-0 away. End of story.

There have been a whole host of games this season that we have completely dominated and -should- have won but didn't. If you're not prepared to defend Martinez (understandably) on the grounds of what might have happened in our favour, in one game, then why attack him for might have happened against us, but didn't, in another?

Mike Boardman
35 Posted 27/04/2016 at 20:57:36
Well said Jay #33

Problem is who replaces him?

Do we take a chance on a potential novice (e.g. Howe)? or an old hat (Moyes)? or an expensive foreigner (Pellegrini, Bielsa)? or an "exciting" successful Premier League manager (Koeman)? or an internal candidate (Ferguson, Unsworth).

Personally, I think Moyes completely disrespected the club, the fans, and BK when he went to Manure, but how would he deal with money? If I'm honest I don't think he had much of a choice at Utd, so I'd take him back (despite previous comments, "Sir Alex" left him with nothing there and he faced the "United love in" backlash). Yes DM could have acted more gracefully, but haven't we all moved jobs to "bigger and better things"

I say give him a year with some money, and lets see where we end up. After all, we'd bite the hand off anyone who offered up 6th at the moment!! Motto: Be careful what you wish for (both as fans and managers)!

John Graham
36 Posted 27/04/2016 at 21:39:01
We have not dominated games we have had more ball possession and less chances than the other team. Totally different.
We play boring tippy happy football without an end result.

Andrew Laird
37 Posted 27/04/2016 at 22:05:55
Roberto "Mañana" Martinez is still hanging around like a man stuck in a lift suffering from terminal flatulence whose only hope in life is a lottery ticket bought from Kenwright's corner shop.
Ray Robinson
38 Posted 27/04/2016 at 22:24:47
Grant #34, you're right, of course, that we should have won many games that we managed to throw away and that it's unfair to attack Martinez using a single game that we could have lost but actually won. I'm trying to say, badly I suspect, that even in our "knife-through-butter attacks" games, we are overly vulnerable defensively and that's why we invariably end of on the wrong end of the 2-3, 3-4 results. Even the 3-3's involved us losing a lead - not coming back from a 2 nil deficit.
Andrew James
39 Posted 27/04/2016 at 22:55:25
Ray

Was that the last time (Wolfsburg at home) that Howard had a blinder?

Thinking about it, we were rapier like in attack that night but perhaps it did flatter us.

Therein lies the problem with his football, it's always feast or famine. More the latter of late. Same in many of the cup games (Barnsley, Reading, Bournemouth) we'd threaten to capitulate and then get out ahead. Difference is, we're good enough to get away with it against lower league sides or if the opposition have named a weakened side.

I don't see it as a philosophy. I see it as always pig headedly putting all your money on red (pardon the analogy) every week. It's playing percentages but not how Allardyce does it.

Charlie Lloyd
40 Posted 27/04/2016 at 23:08:05
Watching us since around the turn of the year has seen more balls going forward quicker, especially from Barry. Problem being we still have only Lukaku up there. He's not great at putting it about unless he feels like it. So we have not gained any advantage there. But we still do a fair amount of pointless tippy tappy stuff across the park and back again till we lose possession.

Upshot of all this. We lose it either way and appear stuck not knowing what to do.

We look clueless and without a change this will get worse.

Mike Keating
41 Posted 28/04/2016 at 00:14:58
No to Moyes but this from the Mirror is even worse;


http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/Everton-chiefs-lining-up-mark-hughes-to-take-over-from-Roberto-Martinez-mirror/

Andrew James
42 Posted 28/04/2016 at 00:33:37
Charlie

I have noticed that on recent showings, especially from Barry. We've actually gone long a few times. But you're right, Lukaku doesn't suit that. He is better with the ball in front of him or with crosses in the box. He's not a hold up player although occasionally I've seem him lay it off well.

He did used to experiment with a long cross field ball from left full back position to either Del Boy or McGeady but that seems to have died a death.

Joe O'Brien
43 Posted 28/04/2016 at 00:39:44
I know, Mike, I just saw that. What a joke, no way will that man take over at our club. I keep on harping on about it but Koeman is the man to replace Martinez.

I know that the new owner has got less than 50% but I think he is still calling the shots. No way will he put up with what we've all witnessed this year. He's a smart man and not going to be fooled by the 'What a manager' rubbish he's been hearing.

He can see what we all have been seeing and saying for ages. Martinez is a crap manager.

Christopher Dover
44 Posted 28/04/2016 at 08:50:42
I do not understand why Some think the new major shareholder does not have the power.
Cannot remember the number but believe the shares of the few add up to a few thousand, the chance that they turn up to vote and then vote in support of Bill would be non existent.

What we do not know is if he will use the power he has to remove the manager, that we await to see, but you would think and hope that he has seen enough to put Roberto out of his and our misery ASAP

Patrick Murphy
45 Posted 28/04/2016 at 08:56:34
Less than an hour to wait for Roberto's next press conference according to the Echo, so it would appear that today is not going to be the day that many have waited for.
Andrew Ellams
46 Posted 28/04/2016 at 09:01:13
What, a manager?
Tony Hill
47 Posted 28/04/2016 at 09:06:02
Patrick, I fear you are right. We are pathetic. Delay and mess, those are Kenwright's standard tactics when under pressure. As usual, we will leave everything too late or do nothing at all.

There is little more to be said, in my view. The club is heading for the rocks I am sorry to say, steered by a couple of stubborn and arrogant fools. No amount of tennis balls or pointed fingers will later that.

Our best hope would be a total boycott of games and non-renewal of season tickets but, of course, that won't happen.

Kevin Judge
48 Posted 28/04/2016 at 09:12:44
Mark Hughes, The Mirror says... you're having a laugh!!!!

No way will I ever go to Goodison Park if he takes over. No way is he any better than what we have. The Stoke defence has gotten even worse than ours.

He was at Man City and, with all their millions, they soon got rid of him – and proved rightly so.

Kevin Judge
50 Posted 28/04/2016 at 12:02:05
Mike Boardman (#35) – Are you serious over David Moyes!!!!! Sir Alex left him with nothing!?!?! I think you need to think long and hard about what you have said on here.

Champions of England... Premier League Champions – he had money to burn – that's why he paid £28 million for that donkey Fellaini.

What did Moyes leave Martinez then, Mike? A top 8 club with no money!!!! And just to put the top hat on it all, he shit all over our club who allowed him to stay as our manager and give him the chance at the beginning.

He never ever looked like winning any cup for us... And you want to give him another chance!?!?

Words fail me....

Anthony Dwyer
51 Posted 29/04/2016 at 01:29:29
Kevin Judge.

I reckon your too harsh in your assessment of Moyes in all fairness.

He took over an awful Everton team, and built a respected EPL side that had achieved finishes of 7th (twice) and a 6th in his last 3 years.

He may have been defensive, but again Imo id say it's much cheaper to build a solid team, rather than a successful attacking team.

Moyes purchased bargains to turn us from relegation fodder into a strong EPL side.

Give Moyes a Lukaku style striker during any of his last 5 years in charge, and we would have been in the Champions League.

During his spell at Man Utd, he may have inherited the Champions, but they were well on there way out, and no other manager could have made that squad a Championship winning side other than SAF.

We're are all there league winners now?

Ferdinand, Evra, Vidic, Evans, Giggs, Anderson, Butner, Hernandez, Kagawa, Nani, Welbeck, Raphael, Fabio, Scholes, Fletcher, Lindergaard, Van Persie, and Cleverley all played during SAF's last season in charge, only Welbeck is still at the same level after leaving utd, that tells a story in itself.

They got bombed out of both domestic cups early, along with the Champions league.

Clearly Moyes had a huge task on his hands, and in signing only Mata and Fellaini, and bringing Wilfred Zaha back off loan, he stood no chance of winning anything.

I'm not saying I'm all for Moyes coming back, but I think we at least deserve to tell it like it is when speaking about him.

Peter Barry
52 Posted 02/05/2016 at 09:21:18
Martinez is the Fur Coat and no knickers type of braggard who can't live up to his own hype.
Roger Helm
53 Posted 03/05/2016 at 20:40:45
The Board had meetings last week, and we have heard nothing, which seems odd. If they think Martinez has a future here, why don't they just say so and then we can stop all this speculation?

Or if they think he has to go, surely it is better to do it now and have a caretaker for the last games, which would give the club time to properly source a new manager. The club just seems to be drifting.


Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads


, placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });