Everton: The End for Roberto Martinez

Is the Spaniard’s time on Merseyside about to come to an end?

After undertaking a huge task of replacing the steadiest Scotsman in the game, David Moyes, Roberto Martinez wandered into uncharted territory. Martinez a serial relegation battler had never even finished in the top half of the Premier League it always seemed to be a job too tough for the Spainard according to sceptics.

However despite what many had thought, Martinez performed amicably in his first season as the manager of a “big club”. Having achieved a record number of points for the Premier League era and instilling a new brand of exciting football into Goodison Park many had eaten their words by the season’s end.

Looking back at Martinez’ first season through retrospect however showed the cracks that have become all too familiar for Everton fans currently. Looking back at the season as a whole despite the record points tally and new brand of football the fans could feel hard done by for not making it into the Champions League on Roberto’s first time of asking. In the interest of fairness however it is unfair to look back on that season as nothing but a huge success, despite being in the driving seat and going straight off the cliff come the end.

It was the second season however that these cracks became more gaping and obvious. Where in the first season huge players such as James McCarthy, Gareth Barry Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku were brought in to the aid the squad, this was not repeated in the second year. The only major signing was Muhammad Besic and even still is not being utilised to his full potential until now. Yes Lukaku and Barry were brought in a permanent deals but this left the squad stretched relatively thin in terms of pure quality ahead of a very busy campaign.

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This lead to the overuse of players such as Barry and Lukaku which annoyed fans and began to turn them against the players. There was also blind loyalty to a clearly past it Tim Howard which continued until only recently which certainly cost Everton league positions. Ultimately Martinez’ second season was blamed for lack of quality in depth and a busy schedule with the Europa League fixtures, an excuse which Martinez himself said was an easy way out for underperforming clubs at the end of his first season.

Now in his third season in charge and one which many Everton fans hope and anticipate will be his last. The sheer ignorance shown to basic football such as defending and substitutions while maintaining his ever so positive persona towards the press has meant that patience has grown very thin within the fanbase.

With Farhad Moshiri’s investment in the club officially sanctioned by the Premier League many fans believe the club’s laissez faire attitude towards the mediocrity of the past years will soon be behind them under new management. Many hope for a “winning” manager with true experience such as Frank DeBoer of Ajax or Andre Villas Boas formerly of Spurs and Chelsea.

Ultimately when it comes to Martinez it seems that he is not particularly suited to management or at least management of a perceived “big club”. Once a manager touted for a future as a Barcelona or Spain national team manager seems more suited towards a Director of Football role at a club as it can’t be denied that he can identify a player such as he did with the likes of Gerard Deulofeu and Ramiro Funes Mori.

Amid reports of a distrust and loss of confidence from the players within Everton it seems a matter of when and not if Everton will be on the search for a new manager. Everton are still in contention for FA Cup success however many Everton fans would agree that even an FA Cup success could not compensate for the mediocre state the club performs with in the league especially at the once fortress of Goodison Park.

With some players such as Romelu Lukaku and John Stones seemingly eager to fulfil Champions League ambitions it would not surprise many to see them as the first out the door in the summer if they can’t see a change coming at Everton.