The People vs Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez stands accused of many crimes against the core values of the vast majority of Evertonians. He has made a shambles out of the last two seasons. He has exhausted all the good will and favour gained from his first season, alienated senior players, caused friction within his team and, most importantly, lost the faith and backing of the fan base.
From what started as such a promising relationship, has now become an inevitable parting, whether it be in shame or in glory.
For me it was the 2014 World Cup where it all seems to have started going wrong. After a creditable 5th place finish, Martinez lauded his squad and took all the adulation he could get, took the fanbase with him on this and many were happy to go with it. Off Roberto went to fulfill media commitments with ESPN and then oversaw a very poor, ill-planned preseason in which the players looked undercooked and unfit.
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This would have serious repercussions throughout the season, especially the demoralising draw to Arsenal after being 2-0 up and the abject defending in the 3-6 defeat against Chelsea. These two games outlined the fact Martinez lacked a plan B and could not devise an in-game strategy to close a game out pragmatically. The rest, as we know, is history. We have continued on the same pattern since then.
Under Bill Kenwright, regardless of supporters' opinions, phone-ins, social media and banners, he would be safe. Now we have Moshiri on board. Regardless of if we win the FA Cup, I think all that is true under Kenwright will be the opposite under Moshiri.
He will want to make an impact, get the fanbase onside, have a man at the helm that he trusts and believes in. That the supporters can embrace and unite behind. I think in the background David Dein will be giving wise counsel and making sure Moshiri isn't misled or mis-represented in any way.
For Everton to move forward on and off the field, wholesale changes need to be made and we are 50% there. The people have spoken regarding the 50%, it is unanimous that he is no longer trusted or wanted. The danger of his continuation is there for all to see, apart from himself. The stubbornness and blind devotion to his theory and footballing principles have cost him one of English footballs most prized jobs.
The club may now be overly exposed to losing key players to the regression of the performances over these past two seasons. Thankfully, financially we are now in a position to withstand 'bigger clubs' advances. But we should not be in this situation and sadly there is only one person guilty of putting us in that situation.
Three years is a long time in football; clubs have fired managers with better records than Martinez for not meeting expectations. We are Everton, surely we must have high expectations, our history demands it. So, based on that first season, he has failed miserably and time is now up.
Roberto Martinez is guilty of criminally wasting two seasons, of stagnating the club's progress on the field, of turning our fortress of a stadium into a jolly for visiting teams and supporters, of alienating players with abject tactics and snail-paced turgid aimless football, and, most importantly, making this Everton very unlike my Everton.
Reader Comments (29)
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2 Posted 17/04/2016 at 04:12:18
From a free kick Barkley curls a beauty over the RS wall to register our third then a Lennon blinder almost bursts the net.
Daydreams such as these help sustain me until awful reality sinks in.
Miracles happen because 5 decades ago I was at Mordor in similar circumstances such a daydream came to pass.
When Morrisey chipped Tommy Younger for our 4th goal I found myself alone in a rapidly emptying Kop.
NSNO
3 Posted 17/04/2016 at 07:08:23
5 Posted 17/04/2016 at 09:42:50
God forbid we go out the cup, because Goodison would be a horrible place to be for our final two home matches, if this happens.
I, like most, can't believe he's still in a job, because to protect our future and to have a chance of retaining our better players, the decision to release him, should have happened well before now.
Michael, youe speculation might be right, because how else, could anyone keep a man, who is giving us what you say, A very slow and painful death.
6 Posted 17/04/2016 at 09:59:29
Well done, Señor Martinez, that takes an enormous amount of incompetence to achieve what you have in such a short space of time. Given any more time, I have no doubt you will succeed in completing your job of total destruction of our club.
7 Posted 17/04/2016 at 10:18:24
8 Posted 17/04/2016 at 10:25:47
Did he actually think he could waltz back to the club take part in a bit of 5-a-side footy training with about 500 passes and that would be pre-season training done to get the players ready for next season?? Sadly he has been treating this club and all associated with disrespect ever since then.
9 Posted 17/04/2016 at 10:41:01
Unfortunately only Lukaku, Barry, Besic, Eto'o, and Atsu arrived, two of which we already had the previous season. Then Pienaar, Osman, Hibbert, Distin, Howard all had dramatic drop in form due to injuries, getting older etc.
Once we have a first team player injured, the squad is woefully short of adequate replacements.
10 Posted 17/04/2016 at 11:17:31
I suspect managers work out their preseason plans long before the players come back. Martinez got it horribly wrong, as he often does around player fitness. Interestingly, Mourinho got it similarly wrong last summer. Players tend to want to be fighting fit or they get brassed off.
It was incompetence, pure and simple. They haven't looked fitter or stronger towards the end of the last two seasons, have they?
Reason enough for dismissal without the other exaggerated nonsense.
11 Posted 17/04/2016 at 12:10:28
12 Posted 17/04/2016 at 12:12:04
13 Posted 17/04/2016 at 12:12:07
David Moyes took over the Champions of England, Manchester United and instantly ruined the 20-odd years Sir Alex had installed winners in that club.
David Moyes made Everton a regular top 8 club – that is it!!
14 Posted 17/04/2016 at 12:30:59
I think I'm actually losing the plot now. At least under Moyes, EFC's bad performances were usually consigned to history and limited to two hours on a weekend.
Now I'm having dreams every night of losing a 5-0 lead to Sc**thorpe United (or similar). Beyond a joke.
GET. OUT. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Posted 17/04/2016 at 12:41:42
If you genuinely went to bed last night expecting to wake up to the news that Martinez had been sacked after a 1-1 draw six days before a semi cup final I suspect you have an undiagnosed case of wishful thinking.
As for the dreaming I would recommend a nice warm milky drink before bedtime and avoid the cheese.
With a nod to Eugene definitely Grrr post of the day.
16 Posted 17/04/2016 at 13:39:35
I suspect that unlike our manager, he won't repeat the mistake. I'd have him in an instant; this club desperately needs a cussed, snarling, winning attitude from top to bottom.
17 Posted 17/04/2016 at 13:45:05
18 Posted 17/04/2016 at 14:08:33
Tamhas for instance.
His 'GET. OUT. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!' assumes RM is actually reading his posts
(there's no one else it can be aimed at).
He also assumes that 'get out now' would be ignored, but all caps, full-stops between each word and 54 exclamation points could have the desired effect.
As you say, wishful thinking.
22 Posted 17/04/2016 at 17:05:23
There is a report on NSNO that a fan was speaking to Kenwright and he said there is no threat to Martinez job, He will be here next season and has just been unlucky.
Apparently he is friendly with Kenwright and Moshiri.
24 Posted 17/04/2016 at 20:15:33
25 Posted 17/04/2016 at 20:29:27
26 Posted 17/04/2016 at 20:35:06
27 Posted 18/04/2016 at 18:16:06
Next season we could have Europa league. Ten or more games at least. League, and cup campaigns. Also Martinez could be handed 50 to 80 million to spend. Ideal situation, win the cup, sack Martinez. He goes with everyone thinking Everton are crazy but we know better. A big name manager wth league title experience and 100 million to spend strolls into the reception.
My luck we win the cup and Mr kenwright puts a statue of Martinez next to Dixie!
28 Posted 19/04/2016 at 08:10:37
29 Posted 19/04/2016 at 12:51:40
30 Posted 19/04/2016 at 13:40:48
Job's a goodun. Jumpers for Goalposts. Turning on the Manager makes us the next Villa.
31 Posted 20/04/2016 at 06:37:08
32 Posted 20/04/2016 at 06:54:38
33 Posted 20/04/2016 at 08:02:34
What is so frustrating is being slowly ground down and down and be all the rumor right or wrong we do not know what the powers that be think (possible exception Blue Bill, but that's rumour).
I have said until boring but do believe if he stays as manager we will go down, lose many top players and let him blow the transfer budget on phenomenal prospects that will take another 2-3 years to come good, in the championship while he will say "I am not the man to bring us back".
35 Posted 20/04/2016 at 19:13:20
I think in the background David Dein will be giving wise counsel and making sure Moshiri isn't misled or mis-represented in any way. David Dein – now we're talking.
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1 Posted 17/04/2016 at 01:24:43