Royal Blue: The winds of change are blowing around Everton
1 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Monday likely to be new manager D-Day for Blues
While fans of some clubs are putting their feet up and enjoying the down-time after the Premier League season ended, Evertonians have savoured no such rest. From new badge to new boss, they have barely had pause to take a breath since that fateful Thursday afternoon on May 9 when David Moyes announced he was off to Manchester United. The week that has just gone, however, was particularly eventful. Saturday saw rumblings become tremors of discontent on the blue half of Merseyside, after the club launched its much leaked and debated new badge officially on a severely underwhelmed fan base. Within hours there was an online petition against the simplified crest, which ditched the Latin motto, and angry Blues were flocking to Twitter in the same volume as tourists headed for the Albert Dock to marvel at the spectacular array of ships basking in the spring.
From Goodison HQ came the sound of silence, but as the national media followed the Echo’s lead in reporting on the unveiling – and subsequent outcry – it became clear something had to give.
That something eventually gave on Tuesday when the club issued an apology for failing to canvass enough supporters over the changes, and promised the unpopular new design would only be around for one season before fans would have a major say in producing an alternative.
It might have been slow in coming, but it was a reasonable and respectful response from the club, while the supporters who took to their keyboards in dismay at what they saw as their heritage being disregarded were entitled to feel that their collective voice still counted. But even as that debate captured headlines across the country – with so little happening at other clubs, aside of course from Manchester City, Wigan, and Stoke – the on-going search for the Blues’ next manager became ever more intriguing. It seems Monday will be D-Day for Bill Kenwright, after having interviewed a raft of candidates and gone to every length possible to follow a thorough process. Roberto Martinez, who had a second interview yesterday, joined a long list of other contenders – some high profile, others not so – for the top job at Goodison. Kenwright has gone about the search with a laudable calm and considered approach, that he will not be rushed into a hasty decision he could regret.
As much as he possibly can, without the benefit of a crystal ball, he has tried to ensure the new man can take the Blues forward from where the David Moyes evolution ended. It will be no small feat.
The winds of change are blowing around L4. Whether for a badge few liked, which will eventually be corrected by a club which can still just about call itself the People’s Club with some credibility, or a new manager and coaching staff, as Moyes prepares to take his men with him.
They say a change is as good as a rest. But bluenoses who have only just paused to reflect on the season passed and the farewell of the long serving David Moyes, would nevertheless be grateful for a genuine rest from controversy and intrigue once Kenwright has announced his decision, and the new man can begin quietly building for a brighter future.

John Heitinga to wait and see over Everton FC future
1 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo Liverpool
By Greg O’Keefe
John Heitinga has refused to rule out staying at Everton FC this summer – and wants to wait and see if his prospects of regular first team football improve under the club’s soon to be appointed new manager. The Dutch international defender had hinted over recent weeks that the Blues should cash in on him, after becoming disillusioned at losing his place in the first team last season under David Moyes. But Heitinga, 29, insists he could still envisage a future for himself on Merseyside if Moyes’ successor intends to give him plenty of Premier League action next term. Bill Kenwright is expected to announce who will take over in the Goodison hot-seat on Monday, with Roberto Martinez – who preferred to play three central defenders across the back during his time at Wigan – still the favourite. The potential arrival of Martinez, who had a second interview for the job with Kenwright in London yesterday, would certainly give Heitinga pause for thought – even if he claims he turned down a contract extension at the club last term. He said: “For the moment I will come to Liverpool for the start of pre-season. That’s no punishment. We will get a new manager this summer. I don’t know his vision on the game. Maybe he says, ‘John must stay’. I also don’t know what the chairman wants. “Everton came with a proposal, but I decided not to sign. The club did not say that I have to leave this summer. I have a contract until 2014. I am 29 years old now and I want to play more often.” Meanwhile Espanyol midfielder Mubarak Wakaso insists he would relish a switch to Everton in the summer, but that his club must decide his future. The Ghana international believes that the Blues are interested in him, and claims he has also been courted by Juventus and Inter Milan. Wakaso, who has scored seven times in ten games for his country, including a goal in the quarter final of the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, said: “Espanyol will decide about my future. “To play in the Premier League would be a dream for me. But Juventus are a big team and if they are interested in you, it means you are doing something right on the field. Everton are a big team as well.”

From The Three Amigos to manager in demand - Roberto Martinez's remarkable journey
1 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Nick Hilton
Roberto Martinez with the other members of the Three Amigos, Jesus Seba and Isidro Diaz
It was July 1995 and Everton fans were still basking in the glow of an FA Cup final victory over Manchester United a couple of months before. So perhaps not a great deal of attention was paid at Goodison Park back then to events a few miles up the M62 at Wigan Athletic, where the Third Division club made the unusual move of signing three Spanish players no-one had heard of.
Roberto Martinez, Jesus Seba and Isidro Diaz were dubbed ‘The Three Amigos’, a reference to a Chevy Chase comedy movie about a trio of spoof Mexican bandits made a few years before.
Some suspected it was a stunt, instigated by Wigan’s ambitious new owner Dave Whelan to generate interest in the thinly-supported club. But Whelan, a former professional footballer turned multimillionaire businessman in the sports goods retail trade, was serious in his intentions. He believed the three Spanish players could help to kick-start a project to build Wigan into a Premier League force. If fans of a top-flight clubs sniggered at the time, no-one could scoff at how Whelan turned his dreams into reality, or how one of the three Amigos in particular, made himself a household name in the English game. Whelan’s business nous, ruthlessness and wealth drove Wigan’s climb up the divisions under a succession of managers. They reached the Premier League in 2005 with Paul Jewell. They stayed there until last month when relegation back to the Championship followed a few days after the most glorious moment in the club’s history, lifting the FA Cup following an upset victory over favourites Manchester City. Martinez, Wigan’s manager of the last four seasons, was centre stage at Wembley, as he was as the Emirates Stadium the following Tuesday when a 4-1 defeat by Arsenal ended a Premier League adventure that lasted longer than anyone could have expected. The focus was on the Spaniard on both occasions because it was clear by then that irrespective of the outcome of the cup final or the relegation dogfight, Martinez was the man most likely to succeed David Moyes at Everton. Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce says he can see why Everton rate Martinez. Boyce said: “For Wigan it’s a massive blow to lose the manager. He brought a brand of football to Wigan that not many have seen, in that a team near the bottom played such attractive football. “His knowledge of the game is excellent and tactically he’s very good, as he showed in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. “If he goes to Everton, they will have a very, very good manager.” Martinez, having established himself as the Amigo best able to adapt his playing style to English conditions during the 1990s, has made an even greater impact as a manager. Leading Swansea City to promotion to the Championship in 2007-08 was an achievement that marked his qualities as a leader and coach and earned him the chance to work under Whelan once more as manager of Wigan for the last four seasons. Keeping Wigan in the top flight on modest gates and a modest budget added sufficient substance to Martinez’s CV that relegation did not seriously damage his reputation within the game or deter Everton from opening discussions about the role at Goodison Park. Confirmation of Martinez’s appointment is expected early next week. Eighteen years after arriving in the UK, Martinez will have earned the right to control one of England’s longest-established top-flight clubs. The football world was a different place back in 1995 when an employee working for Whelan’s sports stores operation in Spain reported back about three promising players in Real Zaragoza’s B team. By the time Wigan made the approaches, Martinez and Diaz had moved to Balaguer and Seba was out on loan at Villarreal. The trio had doubts about the move, naturally enough. But Seba remembers Whelan was remarkably persuasive. “If you listen to Mr Whelan you believe, you follow,” he said. “So we signed up. We did not really think about there being no Spanish players in England at that time. Or why.” As it turned out, the Three Amigos opened up an avenue down which many Spanish players would follow. Not to mention players from every part of the globe, attracted by the glamour, wealth and success of the Premier League. There were some difficult, almost comic moments in those early days. The three went to Wigan College twice a week to learn English. They drove around town in a sponsored club car with ‘The Three Amigos’ written on the side. Seba admitted: “We kept going the wrong way around the roundabouts. I had a crash in the first week. The driver of the other car was a Moroccan. The police arrived and did not know what to do.” It wasn’t so easy on the pitch either. Seba said: “It was difficult because we played a long ball game all the time.” Diaz remembered that Martinez’s interest in coaching was evident early on. He said: “When we played at Balaguer and then at Wigan, after the games or at half-time, Roberto would always talk about tactics. You could see he was interested in being a coach.” Martinez was leading scorer (13 goals) in his first season as a player at Wigan and the supporters’ player of the year. He helped Wigan win promotion from Division Three as champions under John Deehan in 1997. By the time he left Wigan in 2001, Martinez had played 226 games for the club, scoring 24 goals. Short-term spells at Motherwell and Walsall were followed by a move to Swansea City, where Martinez helped the side managed by Kenny Jackett win promotion to League One in 2005. Martinez made a brief stop at Chester City in 2006-07 before starting his management career with Swansea City, where he took the South Wales club to promotion to the Championship as champions in 2008. The journey to Goodison has begun.
Phil Jageika and Lanie Baines played for England against Brazil, resuting in a 2-2 draw, Baines came off injured after 31 minutes.

Phil Jagielka happy with Gary Cahill partnership
3 June 2013
Phil Jagielka has been encouraged by the partnership he has struck up with Gary Cahill over the last week. With Rio Ferdinand now retired from international football, and John Terry seemingly out of the picture for good, Roy Hodgson has set about trying to build up a solid defensive platform ahead of next year's World Cup in Brazil. The England manager has used no fewer than five different centre-half pairings in the last seven matches, with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Steven Caulker earning caps in the 2012-13 season. But Hodgson stuck with Cahill and Jagielka for the entire 90 minutes of this week's games against Brazil and the Republic of Ireland - a hint, perhaps, that the England boss sees the duo as the answer to a problem that has existed for quite a while.
England conceded three goals during those two games and given that they had only started together on five occasions before last night's 2-2 draw in the Maracana, Jagielka was happy with how he and Cahill performed. "Getting to play two lots of 90 minutes definitely helped," the Everton captain said. "I came here to play as many minutes as I could and thankfully I got two games and so did Gaz.
"It's always nice to try and strike up a partnership. We have not played that many games together.
"The two tests we have had have been completely different but they have been two great tests and hopefully we will go back now, start next season well and hopefully put up a good shout for next season." Jagielka failed to track Shane Long, leading to Ireland's only goal at Wembley on Wednesday. Both players were not quick enough to stop Fred from athletically putting Brazil ahead last night after Hernanes had struck the bar before Cahill's lax marking allowed Paulinho to level the game at 2-2 in the 82nd minute. Had Joe Hart not put in one of the performances of his life, England could have been well behind by half-time. But given that they had the likes of Oscar, Neymar, Hulk and Fred charging at them, Cahill thinks he and Jagielka put on a good show. "I think we did well," the Chelsea defender said. "I think we got asked a lot of questions that we knew that we were going to be asked. "I thought generally in the game we stood up well, and so did the team. "Coming in at 0-0 when you are under so much pressure is encouraging and it gives us a chance to go on. We could have won the game."

D-day for Martinez
June 3, 3013 Wagan today
ROBERTO Martinez will find out in the next 24 hours if he is to become the new manager of Everton.
Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright was hoping to make a decision today but it now looks likely that there will be an announcement tomorrow morning. On Friday, it was revealed that Martinez was on a shortlist of three for the job with Porto boss Vitor Pereira and German Ralph Rangnick believed to be the other two. However, former Manchester United striker Ole Gunner Solskjaer also emerged as a potential candidate over the weekend. Rangnick was the most recent manager to speak to Kenwright and reports yesterday suggested he gave a great account of himself, offering to give one former Everton player – either Alan Stubbs, David Weir or Phil Neville – the opportunity to become his No.2 with the aim of them one day taking over the reigns. It’s this meeting which has delayed a decision as Kenwright mulls over his options. Should the Goodison Park chief opt for Martinez, he will need to pay Wigan £2million to release him from his contract at the DW Stadium, which has one more year on it. Martinez is also expected to take his assistant, Graeme Jones, with him to Everton.
There has been much speculation as to who will take over from the Spaniard. Rene Meulensteen was once again being heavily tipped to become his successor but a decision is a way off.
Dave Whelan last week insisted he won’t begin the process of finding a new manager before Martinez’s future is confirmed.

David Anderson on Everton's new manager hunt: Why Neville Southall is wrong to rule out Roberto Martinez
3 Jun 2013 Daily Mirror
The Blues legend's views should be respected, but Everton wouldn't have appointed David Moyes had they followed the same logic
I know Neville Southall's opinions about the Everton manager's job should be respected because of the Blues legend he is. But I still don't agree with him dismissing Roberto Martinez's claims, saying Everton should appoint someone who has won a league title somewhere.
If Everton had followed that logic in the spring of 2002, they would not have appointed a certain David Moyes from Preston. Now I know some Evertonians have reservations about Martinez because he took Wigan down after eight seasons in the Premier League, but I feel they need to look at the whole picture. It was a charge constantly thrown at Martinez that he never developed Wigan. He never made them more than a side fighting relegation during his four years in charge.
The facts back that up, but there are reasons why Wigan never progressed in Premier League terms.
During those four years, Wigan's wage bill was slashed by about a fifth. Part of this cost-cutting meant that no player was given a contract longer than three years, which meant they lost a lot of talent on frees, such as Momo Diame and Hugo Rodallega. On top of that, their best player was cherry picked by a bigger club each summer and in 2011 they lost Charles N'Zogbia to Aston Villa and last summer Victor Moses to Chelsea. It's hard to build anything against such a backdrop of upheaval and cost cutting. Blues legend: But Neville Southall is wrong on Martinez
Yet Martinez did succeed in transforming the club from top to bottom in terms of the Latics' playing style. He made Wigan play open, attractive, passing football and his philosophy would translate into entertaining football at Goodison Park. Although the Spaniard made little headway in the league, he did deliver the FA Cup and European football - two landmark achievements for Wigan.
Evertonians shouldn't forget that for all his success at Goodison in terms of league finishes, Moyes never managed to win a trophy in his 11 years in charge. For me the most valid criticism of Martinez is that he never sorted out Wigan's leaky defence during his four years there. They were relegated last month because they repeatedly gave away bad goals. Injuries didn't help and losing key defenders Ivan Ramis and Antolin Alcaraz for long spells hurt them. Also he has a ready-made solid defence at Everton in Tim Howard, Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin and Leighton Baines. Up front is Everton's biggest problem and that is where Martinez excels. Arouna Kone was an astute buy last summer, while his rejuvenation of Shaun Maloney and polishing of Callum McManaman show he can spot and nurture attacking talent. Martinez has the tools to succeed at Everton and Bluenoses should give him their full support if, as expected, he is appointed.

Roberto Martinez set to be appointed Everton manager
4 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Greg O’Keefe
Ex-Wigan man expected to be confirmed within next couple of days
Roberto Martinez is set to become the next Everton manager after the club entered the closing stage of talks with the Spaniard and Wigan Athletic. The 39-year-old is expected to agree personal terms with the Blues today, although despite claims to the contrary by Latics chairman Dave Whelan yesterday, they have yet to completely finalise a compensation package with his former club.
Whelan claimed he had reached an agreement with Bill Kenwright last night, and insisted a switch to Goodison is the natural ‘next step’ for Martinez. But that prompted Everton to release a brief statement which indicated the Wigan owner had been premature in his announcement.
It said: “In response to regrettable and somewhat premature reports earlier this evening, Everton Football Club are continuing discussions with regards to the vacant managerial position.
“Whilst positive moves are being made, the club will officially announce details as and only when they are agreed and completed.” The ECHO understands that Everton preferred to maintain a dignified silence until talks were fully finalised, but Martinez’s unveiling as David Moyes’ successor is still highly likely within 48 hours. Whelan, who is renowned for his outspoken nature, said: “After leaving Wigan I would say it (Everton) is the next step for Roberto before he goes to the very, very top. It’s a bigger club than Wigan and it’s a super club. “I agreed some terms with Bill about 6pm. It paves the way for him to join Everton. He can talk to them because we’ve sorted it. He’s free to do a deal if he wants with Everton.” Asked whether Martinez had already spoken to the Blues last week, Whelan replied: “His meeting with Everton last week had gone very well, he was probably in the last two or three on the list. The chairman then rang me and we discussed the compensation deal, which was agreed this evening [Monday] at 6pm. “It would sound like he is the front-runner, but you know football being football. It would sound like it though. “Everton are a very honest club and Bill is an honest person so we get on well together, I trust him and Everton, like I hope they trust me. I’ll be very sad because he’s a fantastic manager.” Whelan has previously insisted Everton was not a big enough club for Martinez, but the chairman claimed those comments were intended as a light-hearted wind-up aimed at his friend Kenwright. “Sometimes I wind the chairman up at Everton,” he added. “We’ve had some really serious fun and entertainment watching Everton play Wigan. We get on so well together that when I say that I’m winding up Bill and the Everton supporters – it is a big club.”

Shane Duffy thanks Blues coaches Alan Stubbs and David Weir
4 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Greg O’Keefe
Everton defender: "We never give up and we are all in it together"
Shane Duffy has underlined the wealth of coaching talent already at Everton – as he thanked Alan Stubbs and David Weir for helping him progress. The Republic of Ireland U-21 defender believes the pair, who have been tipped to form part of the first team coaching staff under Everton’s yet to be named new manager, are a real asset for the Toffees. Former Blues skippers Stubbs and Weir both made good impressions on Bill Kenwright when they pitched to become David Moyes’ successor, even if they were not considered experienced enough yet for the top job. However, Duffy, 21, insists both have plenty to offer, and credited the former central defensive duo with helping him thrive as U-21’s captain last season. Duffy, who hopes to break into the first team under the new manager next season, said: “We have a good bond. Everybody does. You can tell that on the pitch. There have been games this season where we have been losing 2-0 in the last 10 minutes and we have come back to win. “The spirit right through from Stubbsy and David Weir is that we never give up and we are all in it together. “Since I first came up, the coaches have put a lot of work into me and they have stuck with me. And if I haven’t been playing well or I have made mistakes, they have always trusted me, thrown me back in and even made me captain this year.” Duffy also stressed that he has found it beneficial learning from Phil Neville, who will leave the club this month after eight years, and his successor Phil Jagielka. “I have tried to watch how they operate in first-team games and bring that to the reserves,” he added. “I try to be vocal. In the changing room as well. It is down to your personality. “If you look at Nev, his personality is unbelievable and Jags is the same. People can be different, it is just about the way you take on the armband and the responsibility.
“On the pitch, I try to be a leader out there. I try to talk to everyone and I have to look after myself as well. “It is tough being a captain but I have enjoyed it and it has helped me concentrate a lot more in games as well. You have to be fully concentrated all the time.” Meanwhile, Neville, 36, has revealed the challenge he faced in taking the captain’s armband from Weir in January 2007.
A summer arrival from Manchester United two years earlier, Neville was handed the role by Moyes following Weir’s exit to Rangers. He led the team to four top-six finishes in six-and-a-half seasons, never ending a campaign lower than eighth. “I can say it now – I didn’t want it,” he said. “I’d just come into the club and I wanted to establish myself as a player and a person first, and then the manager just gave me the captaincy and it was like, ‘Wow, I’m in at the deep end’. It was a moment when you either sink or swim and I think the faith he put in me helped me as a person and helped me grow. “I was coming into a dressing room with big characters who had been successful. They’d qualified for the Champions League – that’s something I’ve never done (at Everton). “From a purely selfish point of view, I felt that I hadn’t won the supporters over, I hadn’t won the players over in the dressing room, so I felt that I was trying to take baby steps. But the manager, with his drive and his determination and his foresight, he wanted it there and then.” Neville, who was also interviewed to take over from Moyes as manager at Goodison, but has also been tipped to follow his former boss to Old Trafford as first team coach, added: “It’s the memories off the field that I’ll remember most.
“The camaraderie in the dressing room, the camaraderie with the staff, the kit men, the masseurs, the physios – they’ve helped me personally so much those people, and not just in terms of football.”

Everton move for Roberto Martinez moves closer
4 Jun 2013 Daily Post
By Andy Gilpin
Blues agree compensation package with Wigan chairman Dave Whelan
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez’s move to Everton has moved closer after Latics chairman Dave Whelan confirmed the two clubs have agreed a compensation payment. The Spaniard held talks with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright last week and a deal has now been agreed to buy out the remaining year of Martinez’s contract. Whelan said: “I’ve reached some terms with the chairman, Bill, of Everton about six o’clock this evening. “He can now talk to Everton because Bill and myself have sorted the compensation.” Martinez had already held talks, with Whelan's permission, but is now free to discuss contract terms. “He’d spoken to Everton because I gave them permission,” Whelan said. “When he came back and told me how it had gone, it had gone very well and he was probably in the last two or three on the list. “Then the chairman rang me and discussed the compensation deal with me, and we agreed that this evening.” Porto coach Vitor Pereira and former Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick had also been linked with the vacancy. Martinez, 39, was linked with the Everton vacancy almost as soon as David Moyes' departure to Manchester United was confirmed.
Whelan initially suggested, before FA Cup winners Wigan’s relegation from the Barclays Premier League, that Everton were not a big enough club to tempt Martinez away. But he said: “Sometimes I wind the chairman up at Everton because we’ve had some really serious fun and entertainment watching Everton play Wigan. We get on so well together. “When I say things like ’I thought you meant a big football club’, I’m winding Bill up. They are a big club, no question. “After leaving Wigan, I think Everton is the next stop of Roberto before he goes to the very, very top.
“Everton is run very similarly to Wigan, it’s a family-run club, a friendly club with a great bunch of supporters. They’re a bigger club than Wigan and it’s a super club. “(If he goes) I will say to Roberto - which I’ve already said, because I had a meeting with him tonight - I will wish him nothing but the very best of luck.” Whelan added that he has yet to hold talks with any of the extensive list of applicants for the prospective vacancy at the DW Stadium. “I’ve not been able to interview anybody,” he said. “We’ve got about 30 people who’ve applied for the job and I’ve not been able to interview one of them because of this agreement over the compensation, I didn’t want to jeopardise that. “I’d be unfair to speak to anybody about giving them a job at Wigan when I’m not clear to offer them a job. Now that’s changed. “In football there are always some good managers without a position. We’ve had some very good people apply for the job. I’m sure there are half a dozen top-class managers amongst them.” The interview process seemed to begin live on the air as, with Whelan still on the line, studio guests Neil Warnock and Owen Coyle sang his praises and those of the club. Former QPR and Leeds boss Warnock said: “He’s (Whelan) the most attractive thing about the job. Look at the chairmen I’ve had in the last few years! “He’s football through and through and supports his manager come rain and shine. As a manager, that should be the first thing you look at, does the club have a good chairman?” Coyle, sacked by Bolton in October having previously enjoyed success in the north west as Burnley manager, added: “Wigan have very good players, it is an attractive job. “I have been linked with it and I’m very flattered.” Everton responded with a statement on their website in which they insisted no appointment is imminent. The statement read: “In response to regrettable and somewhat premature reports earlier this evening, Everton Football Club are continuing discussions with regards to the vacant managerial position.
“Whilst positive moves are being made, the club will officially announce details as and only when they are agreed and completed.”

Everton and Wigan agree Roberto Martinez compensation
Jun 4 2013
Roberto Martinez was edging ever closer to a move to Everton after Wigan chairman Dave Whelan confirmed the two clubs have agreed a compensation payment. The Spaniard held talks with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright last week and a deal has now been agreed to buy out the remaining year of Martinez’s contract. Whelan last night told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I’ve reached some terms with the chairman, Bill, of Everton about six o’clock this evening. "He can now talk to Everton because Bill and myself have sorted the compensation." Martinez had already held talks, with Whelan’s permission, but is now free to discuss contract terms. "He’d spoken to Everton because I gave them permission," Whelan said. "When he came back and told me how it had gone, it had gone very well and he was probably in the last two or three on the list. "Then the chairman rang me and discussed the compensation deal with me, and we agreed that this evening." However, Everton responded with a statement on their website in which they insisted no appointment is imminent.
The statement read: "In response to regrettable and somewhat premature reports earlier this evening, Everton Football Club are continuing discussions with regards to the vacant managerial position. "Whilst positive moves are being made, the club will officially announce details as and only when they are agreed and completed." Martinez, 39, was linked with the Everton vacancy almost as soon as David Moyes’ departure to Manchester United was confirmed. Whelan initially suggested, before FA Cup winners Wigan’s relegation from the Barclays Premier League, that Everton were not a big enough club to tempt Martinez away. But he said last night: "Sometimes I wind the chairman up at Everton because we’ve had some really serious fun and entertainment watching Everton play Wigan. We get on so well together. "When I say things like ’I thought you meant a big football club’, I’m winding Bill up. They are a big club, no question. "After leaving Wigan, I think Everton is the next stop of Roberto before he goes to the very, very top. "Everton is run very similarly to Wigan, it’s a family-run club, a friendly club with a great bunch of supporters. They’re a bigger club than Wigan and it’s a super club. "(If he goes) I will say to Roberto - which I’ve already said, because I had a meeting with him tonight - I will wish him nothing but the very best of luck." Whelan added that he has yet to hold talks with any of the extensive list of applicants for the prospective vacancy at the DW Stadium. "I’ve not been able to interview anybody," he said. "We’ve got about 30 people who’ve applied for the job and I’ve not been able to interview one of them because of this agreement over the compensation, I didn’t want to jeopardise that."

Shane Duffy: Everton legends have been vital to my development
4 Jun 2013 Liverpool Daily Post
By Andy Gilpin
Young Irish defender so pleased with depth of coaching talent
SHANE DUFFY has thanked Everton coaches Alan Stubbs and David Weir for their continued help in his development. The Republic of Ireland under-21 international enjoyed a season where he was promoted to captain of the club’s second string. Duffy says the work of former Everton defenders Stubbs and Weir has been instrumental in his progress at Goodison Park and his words pay homage to the depth of coaching talent at the club. Both Stubbs and Weir have been interviewed by chairman Bill Kenwright. as to where they see themselves in the club’s new regime. A replacement for David Moyes has yet to be announced but rumours are abound that an announcement could arrive imminently. Roberto Martinez remains the strong favourite to take the reins at Goodison with Porto manager Vitor Pereira also in contention. Former Schalke manager Ralf Rangnick , sporting director at Red Bull Salzburg and German side RB Leipzig, has distanced himself from the vacant position, saying: “I have been made aware of that and, well, you should not take every one of those media reports for granted. “I have had signed a deal for three years with my current employer and thus far have just been in my actual job for 12 months.” Stubbs and Weir are highly thought of at Goodison and are in line for roles under whoever the new manager is.
Duffy would be glad to see them remain as integral parts of Everton’s coaching set-up after paying tribute to their work. “Since I first came up, the coaches have put a lot of work into me and they have stuck with me,” he said. “And if I haven’t been playing well or I have made mistakes, they have always trusted me, thrown me back in and even made me captain this year. “We have a good bond. Everybody does. You can tell that on the pitch. There have been games this season where we have been losing 2-0 in the last 10 minutes and we have come back to win. The spirit right through from Stubbsy and David Weir is that we never give up and we are all in it together.”
Departed captain Phil Neville, meanwhile, has revealed he didn’t want to accept the armband when Moyes offered it to him. Neville, who left the club at the end of the season, was keen to establish himself in the side before taking on extra duties but when Weir left for Glasgow Rangers in January 2007. “I can say it now - I didn’t want it,” he said. “I’d just come into the club and I wanted to establish myself as a player and a person first, and then the manager just gave me the captaincy and it was like, ‘Wow, I’m in at the deep end’. “It was a moment when you either sink or swim and I think the faith he put in me helped me as a person and helped me grow. “I was coming into a dressing room with big characters who had been successful. They’d qualified for the Champions League - that’s something I’ve never done (in my time at the club). “From a purely selfish point of view, I felt that I hadn’t won the supporters over, I hadn’t won the players over in the dressing room, so I felt that I was trying to take baby steps. But the manager, with his drive and his determination and his foresight, he wanted it there and then.”

Everton and Wigan reach Roberto Martinez agreement
By COLIN STEWART
June 4 2013 The Scotsman
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez’s move to Everton has moved closer last night after Latics chairman Dave Whelan confirmed the two clubs have agreed a compensation payment.
The Spaniard held talks with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright last week and a deal has now been agreed to buy out the remaining year of Martinez’s contract. Whelan told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’ve reached some terms with the chairman, Bill, of Everton about six o’clock this evening.
“He can now talk to Everton because Bill and myself have sorted the compensation.” Martinez had already held talks, with Whelan’s permission, but is now free to discuss contract terms.
“He’d spoken to Everton because I gave them permission,” Whelan said. “When he came back and told me how it had gone, it had gone very well and he was probably in the last two or three on the list. “Then the chairman rang me and discussed the compensation deal with me, and we agreed that this evening.” Porto coach Vitor Pereira and former Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick had also been linked with the vacancy. Martinez, 39, was linked with the Everton vacancy almost as soon as David Moyes’ departure to Manchester United was confirmed. Whelan initially suggested, before FA Cup winners Wigan’s relegation from the Barclays Premier League, that Everton were not a big enough club to tempt Martinez away. But he said last night: “Sometimes I wind the chairman up at Everton because we’ve had some really serious fun and entertainment watching Everton play Wigan. We get on so well together. “When I say things like ‘I thought you meant a big football club’, I’m winding Bill up. They are a big club, no question. “After leaving Wigan, I think Everton is the next stop of Roberto before he goes to the very, very top. Everton is run very similarly to Wigan, it’s a family-run club, a friendly club with a great bunch of supporters. They’re a bigger club than Wigan and it’s a super club.
“(If he goes) I will say to Roberto – which I’ve already said, because I had a meeting with him tonight – I will wish him nothing but the very best of luck.”

Everton will have to pay full price for Wigan players, says Whelan
4 Jun 2013 Daily Post
Martinez likely to be announced as new Blues boss but won't be able to raid Latics for bargains
Everton FC will have to pay the full market value for any Wigan stars who want to follow Roberto Martinez to Goodison Park, says Latics chairman Dave Whelan. Roberto Martinez is likely to be announced as successor to David Moyes in the next 48 hours, from which point he will start assessing what Everton FC need heading into the new season. Martinez has already been linked with potential moves for the likes of highly-rated midfielder James McCarthy and forwards Arouna Kone and Callum McManaman - a former Toffees trainee - from Wigan. And while some chairmen - for example, Swansea’s Huw Jenkins last summer when he lost Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool - like to strike agreements stating their former managers cannot return to poach players during a certain period unless certain clauses are met, Dave Whelan has made no such deal. Whelan has a very close relationship with Martinez but insists he was not interested in negotiating any ’strings-attached’ deal ahead of his switch to Everton FC. “There is no agreement. It is unfair and I don’t believe in anything like that,” he said. “If Everton want to sign any of our players for the right amount of money we will consider it.” Dave Whelan is believed to have negotiated compensation of about £1.5million for Roberto Martinez’s services. And while he would hope to be able to hang on to key players as the club seek to bounce back from their relegation to the npower Championship at the first opportunity, he accepts the lure of the top flight is a strong one. “We have to face every single thing that relegation presents us,” he added. “It is normally the case certain players want to play in the Premier League and I can’t blame them for that. “Players sign contracts but sometimes one or two want to leave and it is difficult to stop them. “Players are players and I believe in freedom in football. “But we have a lot of players who are loyal to Wigan Athletic so we will just wait and see.”
Once a compensation package had been agreed yesterday, Whelan was certain Martinez would complete his move quickly with discussions over his terms and backroom staff to take place with Everton FC chairman Bill Kenwright. However, the Merseyside club are taking a cautious line, having conducted a thorough and patient approach to replacing Moyes as soon as it was announced the Scot was to become Manchester United manager. Roberto Martinez is certainly their first choice having topped a shortlist of three, believed to have also included Porto’s Vitor Pereira and former Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick, Kenwright considered over the weekend. But in an attempt to mitigate Whelan’s public pronouncements on the identity of their next manager, Everton FC issued a statement last night which said: “In response to regrettable and somewhat premature reports earlier this evening, Everton Football Club are continuing discussions with regards to the vacant managerial position. “Whilst positive moves are being made, the club will officially announce details as and only when they are agreed and completed.”

Kevin Campbell hails imminent arrival of Roberto Martinez
5 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Rob’s a breath of fresh air, says former Blues captain Campbell
Former Everton skipper Kevin Campbell believes the imminent arrival of Roberto Martinez at Goodison Park will be ‘like a breath of fresh air.’ Campbell scored 51 goals in 164 appearances for the Toffees after being signed by Walter Smith from Trabzonspor on-loan in the spring of 1999.
And he is excited about Martinez’s impending appointment. “It will be fascinating. I think he’ll be a breath of fresh air, I really do. The way he plays the game, the fans are going to like the style, and I think the players are going to improve, and that’s really important,” he said. "There will be a bit more attacking play. Everton have earned their spurs (in recent seasons), the players have done really well defensively and it won’t harm the team to be a bit more expansive going forward.
“The restrictions will be removed from some of the players. Everton have wonderfully gifted players and I think he will give them a new lease of life. It would be nice to see the team score more goals.
“The new manager can give them new ideas and I see it being a massive plus for Everton Football Club.” Campbell insists Martinez needs to target a top four finish, and believes Everton are capable of doing that. “Everton have to be looking at a Champions League spot,” he added. “Under Moyes they broke the monopoly and got in there, and over the years they’ve proved they can beat the top sides. “Under Martinez they can be a bit more expansive and score more goals and that will make them even more dangerous. Being tough to beat is ingrained in them, but scoring more goals could make a massive difference.”
Roberto Martinez given the green light to raid Wigan
5 Jun 2013 David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
Martinez could target Callum McManaman, Arouna Kone and James McCarthy for Everton
Callum McManaman of Wigan Athletic celebrates victory after the FA Cup
Roberto Martinez has been given the green light to raid his old Wigan squad for talent once his appointment as Everton FC boss is rubber-stamped. But Latics chairman Dave Whelan has warned that targets like Callum McManaman, Arouna Kone and James McCarthy will not be allowed to leave on the cheap. Discussions are ongoing between the Blues and the Latics over compensation for Martinez, despite Whelan’s assertion that a deal had already been struck. An announcement was expected in the next 24 hours. Martinez is ready to hit the ground running at Goodison, but while some chairmen – notably Swansea’s Hugh Jenkins last summer when he lost Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool – like to strike agreements stating their former managers cannot return to poach players during a certain period unless certain clauses are met, Whelan has made no such deal.
“It is normally the case certain players want to play in the Premier League and I can’t blame them for that.
“Whelan has a very close relationship with Martinez but insists he was not interested in negotiating any ‘strings-attached’ deal ahead of his switch to Everton. “There is no agreement. It is unfair and I don’t believe in anything like that,” he said. “If Everton want to sign any of our players for the right amount of money we will consider it.” Whelan would hope to be able to hang on to key players as the club seek to bounce back from their relegation to the Championship at the first opportunity, but he accepts the lure of the top flight is a strong one. “We have to face every single thing that relegation presents us,” he added.
Players sign contracts but sometimes one or two want to leave and it is difficult to stop them. Players are players and I believe in freedom in football.
“But we have a lot of players who are loyal to Wigan Athletic so we will just wait and see.”
Never go back... oh, go on then!
DAVID MOYES
Brian McBride only scored one goal in his nine matches on-loan at Preston North End in 2001, but well enough to convince Moyes to offer the American striker another loan deal at Everton in 2003. He did even better, with four goals in eight highly effective appearances.
WALTER SMITH
The Glasgow Rangers manager often referred to Richard Gough as “my cornerstone” while the defensive colossus was leading the Gers to nine Scottish league titles in the 1990s. Even though he was nearing 40 in the autumn of 1999, Smith had no qualms about taking Gough to Everton in 2000. He made 42 often inspired appearances.
HOWARD KENDALL
Kendall raided Sheffield United three times during the 1997/98 season after moving from Bramall Lane to Goodison Park himself. Don Hutchison was a bargain £1m and went on to skipper the Blues, Carl Tiler also proved great value for money after making a £500,000 switch while utility player Mitch Ward was swapped for Graham Stuart.
JOE ROYLE
Earl Barrett was actually signed from Aston Villa two months after Royle arrived from Oldham Athletic, but he learned his trade under the Everton hero playing 183 times for Big Joe’s Boundary Park side. Royle also returned to Oldham to snap up goalkeeper Paul Gerrard in the summer of 1996.
HOWARD KENDALL
Jim Arnold was the only one of Howard Kendall’s original ‘Magnificent Seven’ signings in the summer of 1981 to be plucked from the Blackburn Rovers side Kendall had just left. He was an unqualified success. The next time Kendall returned to Ewood Park however – to take Glenn Keeley on loan – was less successful!
GORDON LEE
Geoff Nulty was a reliable if unspectacular utility player plucked from Lee’s old Newcastle United side. Speculation also linking Tyneside striker Alan Gowling with a switch to Merseyside came to nothing – perhaps prompted by the Gwladys Street’s colourful reaction to news of his possible arrival. “You can stick your Alan Gowling up your .....” was the chant!

Roberto Martinez's first match in charge set to be Austria pre-season friendly
5 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Blues to play Austrian Bundesliga champions Austria Vienna in July
Roberto Martinez's first match as Everton FC manager is set to be a pre-season friendly in Austria.
Austrian Bundesliga champions Austria Vienna announced a friendly against the Toffess yesterday, to be played on Sunday July, 14 at their Generali Arena in the Austrian capital.
The exact kick-off time is still to be determined with TV coverage possible and the Blues confirmed the fixture last night. “To have a club like Everton at the Generali Arena, is a great thing,” said Austria Vienna chief executive Thomas Rosner. “The game against Everton is the highlight in our pre-season. We try everything possible to prepare the team for the Champions League qualifying games and July 14 is a highlight for both our players and our fans.” The Blues then embark on two fixtures closer to home as they have a Lancashire double header going to League Two Accrington Stanley managed by former Goodison striker James Beattie on Wednesday, July 17 (7.45pm) and Championship Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, July 27 (2pm) before jetting out to the USA.
Everton have already announced their participation in The Guinness International Champions Cup in the USA, starting against Juventus on Wednesday, July 31, with Real Madrid or LA Galaxy awaiting the winners. An Everton XI is also pencilled in to face Blue Square Premier side Southport on Saturday, August 3.

Roberto Martinez to be appointed Everton FC manager this afternoon
5 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Four-year deal for former Wigan boss
Roberto Martinez will be appointed as the new Everton manager at a Goodison Park press conference this afternoon. The former Wigan boss has agreed a four-year deal with the club.
He will officially succeed David Moyes on July 1 after Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright agreed a compensation package with his Latics counterpart Dave Whelan earlier today.
Martinez, 39, had long been considered the favourite to take charge of the Blues, as Kenwright embarked on an exhaustive search for the club's first new manager in 11 years, which included talks with a range of internal candidates and German coach Ralf Rangnick along with Porto boss Vitor Pereira. The Spaniard, who will be unveiled to the media in Goodison's 1878 suite at 4pm, will be joined by Kenwright, and is expected to begin assembling his back-room staff over the next few days. Graeme Jones, Martinez's assistant manager at the DW Stadium, is in the frame to also move to Merseyside alongside fellow Wigan stalwart Kevin Reeves. A press conference is planned for 4pm at Goodison.

Martinez: I'll lead Everton back into Champions League
5 Jun 2013 Daily Post
New manager says it will take time to break top four - but vows to create 'a winning side'
Roberto Martinez arrives at Goodison Park Roberto Martinez pledged to lead Everton FC back into the Champions League after being unveiled as the Toffees' new manager this afternoon.
Martinez, who led Wigan to the FA Cup last season, has signed a four-year contract to replace Manchester United-bound David Moyes. Moyes led Everton FC to the Champions League just once during a much-lauded 11-year reign, but an ambitious Martinez is ready to plot the club’s return to Europe’s elite. Toffees owner Bill Kenwright, who flanked Martinez at today’s press conference, revealed one of the 39-year-old’s first assurances was to take the club to the Champions League.
“When David (Moyes) first came to see me, he sat down 11 years ago and we were in a bad state, and he said ’we’re not going down’,” said Kenwright. “Almost Roberto’s first words to me were ’I’ll get you in the Champions League’.” Martinez denied that represented any immediate pressure on his shoulders, clarifying that any lofty ambitions would take time to realise.
Everton have been dwarfed by the spending power of their major Barclays Premier League rivals, and while Kenwright has pledged to back his new man in the transfer market, Martinez admitted he will have to be creative. “The chairman hasn’t put any pressure on me,” he said.
“We have a very strong team and over the next few months we need to get together and make sure we are a winning side. “Finishing in the top six was magnificent for Everton but we need to achieve more. “There are six (Premier League) teams who are competing at a different financial level to the others. “What is true is not always you need the money to achieve your aims. “The aim for Everton should be to get into the Champions League. That doesn’t mean next season but that has to be the aim for the future. “It is not going to happen overnight. In football you need to be creative, find a way to be creative. “We want to be involved in Europe and the Champions League, and we have to have the dream to fight for.” Among Roberto Martinez’s first jobs will be to persuade the likes of Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, both linked with summer moves away, to stay.
Kenwright insists no players have asked to leave and he is confident that will remain so.
And he also pledged to back his new manager financially. “I’ll give him a few quid to spend. The others are not for sale. We don’t want them to go, they have worked massively hard for this club,” he added. “Roberto doesn’t want them to go, he has all their numbers and he will be on the phone asking them not to go. “Not one person has even half indicated they want to go.
“I am confident that squad, plus some Roberto signings, will form this club’s squad for next season.”
Roberto Martinez said he was ready to embrace the challenge of taking Everton FC to the next level.
He left Wigan after four years which ended with him not only winning the FA Cup but also getting relegated. Martinez said: “It is a real special day to come to Everton and have this feeling already of excitement and honour and I’d like to thank the chairman (Kenwright) for this opportunity.
“There is huge pressure but I am extremely proud of that pressure because it means what David Moyes did in 11 years is set high standards and lay an incredible platform. “I feel lucky to be able to carry on that work. He has given Everton an identity and an incredible standard and all I want to do is be humble and hard-working enough to take this magnificent job to the next level.”
Asked why he had chosen now to leave Wigan, having turned down Aston Villa and Liverpool previously, he added: “It is simple: it came in a natural way. “It has been a phenomenal time at Wigan but after four seasons this was the right time and I knew Everton was the right club.
“It has been a natural transition to be involved in such an exciting club.” Bill Kenwright said he was pleased to get his man after a long search to replace Moyes. “It was exactly four weeks ago today that David told me he wanted to become the new manager of Manchester United, and in that time the club has continued on a long and exhaustive journey to find the right man to take this club forward,” he said. “During the four weeks I have met some of the finest individuals you could meet in football, and the finest of them is sitting next to me know. “It is a great relief, joy and seriously exciting for me that Roberto Martinez has agreed to be the next manager of Everton.
“To Evertonians, I say if you had been at the meetings and conversations I have had with your new manger, you will be as thrilled, excited and in awe as I have been.” Kenwright, who revealed he went to last month’s FA Cup final to assess Martinez, was instantly impressed by the Spaniard.
“I’m not going to say to you it was like David Moyes, who got me in 30 seconds, he took at least 45 seconds,” he added. “He showed me how he beat Manchester City at Wembley. I’d gone there to look at Roberto. “He understands the game and he understands Everton. When you know, you know. “We did discuss at the first meeting we didn’t want the standards and position David had achieved to slip: we wanted to build from that and that is the only statement we made.
“I have to play my part in it too. I don’t want to be the man who asks him to come here and get Champions League unless I can support you. “Myself and the board will be doing all we can to support Roberto.” Everton FC chief executive Robert Elstone was also delighted with the appointment. “We have a top manager, we have an ’Everton’ manager - which was important to us but I am also excited to give Roberto the support for what he needs to achieve,” he said.
“Our objectives are all about what happens on the field. It is all directed towards Roberto.”
Martinez has been linked with moves for some of his former players like midfielder James McCarthy and forwards Arouna Kone and ex-Toffees youth team prospect Callum McManaman.
“There is always a normal assumption that when a manager moves on he will bring those players along,” said the new Toffees boss. “It would be a big mistake to look at the manager’s previous team. “We have to look at the whole range, world football is a big market.”

Roberto Martinez aims to make Everton leap the money gap into Champions League
Daily Mirror
June 5, 2-13 by Alex Hankin
The former Wigan man has a bit of previous when it comes to making bricks without straw – and he promises to get "creative" New man: Roberto Martinez is unveiled as the new Everton FC manager
Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror Roberto Martinez has used his confirmation as the new Everton manager to state his belief that the money-barrier between the Toffees and the top four CAN be overcome - and it's HIS job to find a way. The Goodison Park club celebrated the Spaniard's arrival on a four-year deal at a press conference at 4pm today. Much talk of honour and excitement all round. And Martinez has got on the right side of his new employers by dismissing the accepted wisdom that only the "six" big-money clubs can succeed in the Premier League.
Martinez said: "It is a real special day to come to Everton and have this feeling already of excitement and honour and I'd like to thank the chairman [Bill Kenwright] for this opportunity. "There is huge pressure but I am extremely proud of that pressure because it means what David Moyes did in 11 years is set high standards and lay an incredible platform. "I feel lucky to be able to carry on that work. He has given Everton an identity and an incredible standard and all I want to do is be humble and hard-working enough to take this magnificent job to the next level." Asked why he had chosen now to leave Wigan, having reputedly turned down Aston Villa and Liverpool previously Martinez said: "It is simple: it came in a natural way. It has been a phenomenal time at Wigan but after four seasons this was the right time and I knew Everton was the right club. "It has been a natural transition to be involved in such an exciting club." Money "not always" needed
"The chairman hasn't put any pressure on me," Martinez said. "We have a very strong team and over the next few months we need to get together and make sure we are a winning side. "Finishing in the top six was magnificent for Everton but we need to achieve more. "There are six [Premier League] teams who are competing at a different financial level to the others. "What is true is not always you need the money to achieve your aims. "The aim for Everton should be to get into the Champions League. That doesn't mean next season but that has to be the aim for the future.
"It is not going to happen overnight. In football you need to be creative, find a way to be creative.
"We want to be involved in Europe and the Champions League, and we have to have the dream to fight for." Kenwright "in awe" of Martinez Everton chairman Bill Kenwright said he was virtually convinced Martinez was the right man from their first meeting. Kenwright said: "When David [Moyes] first came to see me, he sat down 11 years ago and we were in a bad state, and he said 'we're not going down'. "Almost Roberto's first words to me were 'I'll get you in the Champions League'. "It was exactly four weeks ago today that David told me he wanted to become the new manager of Manchester United, and in that time the club has continued on a long and exhaustive journey to find the right man to take this club forward. "During the four weeks I have met some of the finest individuals you could meet in football, and the finest of them is sitting next to me know.
"It is a great relief, joy and seriously exciting for me that Roberto Martinez has agreed to be the next manager of Everton. "To Evertonians, I say if you had been at the meetings and conversations I have had with your new manager, you will be as thrilled, excited and in awe as I have been."

Everton: Five issues Roberto Martínez must tackle when he starts work
The Spanish manager will have to keep his optimism in check and make a quick decision on Fellaini and Baines
Andy Hunter
The Guardian, Wednesday 5 June 2013
The new Everton manager is a genuinely decent bloke, warm, intelligent and humorous, but will have to possess an inner steel to handle supporters' expectations and to avoid being played by a Goodison Park hierarchy that doesn't take too kindly to scrutiny or criticism. David Moyes's longevity and popularity gave him leverage to publicise when the club was tightening its finances and paying off its bank debt, to push his employers to break transfer records and to improve facilities. He alone dragged Everton up to their current status as the best of the rest, not an administration that was stunned to discover a manager with less than two months remaining on his contract was leaving for Manchester United. Roberto Martínez will have to fight his corner, although the new broadcasting deal puts Everton's finances in a healthier state than they have been for some time. His tendency to paint the bleakest picture bright – for example, when he proclaimed that Wigan Athletic had been assisted by a set of results that meant they had to win at Arsenal to survive – will also be greeted far more sceptically at Goodison. That said, more optimism would not go amiss ahead of Everton visits to Anfield, Old Trafford, the Emirates and Stamford Bridge.
2 Bring through younger players as he imposes a new style
Premier League experience was not the only advantage Martínez held over rival candidates such as Vitor Pereira of Porto. Unlike Pereira, a first-team coach in a European football structure, the 39-year-old is a manager immersed in every aspect of his club and was heavily involved in the youth set-up plus scouting network at Wigan. His demands of Dave Whelan, the Wigan chairman, prior to announcing that he wished to leave included an improved training complex and the investment required to elevate Wigan's academy to elite status. The development of young players reaped reward with success in the FA Cup, and in the value now placed on James McCarthy and Callum McManaman, and similar results will be required at Everton. Homegrown talent was a vital source of revenue under both Moyes and Walter Smith and the team is ageing in key positions, such as goalkeeper, central defence and central midfield. Keeping the youth academy head Alan Irvine out of United's clutches would be a major plus.
3 Leave the defensive structure alone
One thing Moyes guaranteed in his 11 years as Everton manager was a resolute, well-drilled defence; the foundation for avoiding trouble and then making steady progress against far richer rivals. That is one aspect Martínez could not bring to Wigan in his four years as manager. Injuries were not an excuse for last season's relegation, they were a major factor, with Antolín Alcaraz – now a probable Everton target on a free – Iván Ramis, his key defensive signing last summer, and Maynor Figueroa all absent for lengthy or critical periods. But defensive frailty predated last season at the DW Stadium. Wigan's goal difference in the Martínez years, starting with last season, was -26, -20, -21 and -42. In the season before he replaced Steve Bruce it was -11. Moyes made England internationals out of Joleon Lescott, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka and the new manager is fortunate to inherit a cohesive defensive unit and coaches Andy Holden, David Weir and Alan Stubbs.
4 Make a swift decision on the futures of Fellaini and Baines
Marouane Fellaini was Everton's leading goalscorer last season and, though he has made noises recently about wanting to stay at Goodison, a release clause in the Belgium international's contract allows him to join a Champions League club for £24m. There is understood to be a time limit on the clause, however, to prevent Everton being stung too close to the transfer deadline. Clarifying Fellaini's position will be a priority for the new Everton manager, particularly as the proceeds from any sale could be used to sign a replacement well-known to him – James McCarthy at Wigan. But Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in the Republic of Ireland international and Everton would have to move quickly. Baines would be a bigger loss to the Everton team than Fellaini and, at 28, may not have a better opportunity to play in the Champions League than if Moyes returns with an offer from Manchester United this summer.
5 Find the strikers to build on Moyes's solid foundations
Martínez has entered a completely different club to the one Moyes found immersed in another relegation struggle and carrying too many old, over-paid players back in 2002. Everton were sixth last season, have the emerging Ross Barkley and John Stones to introduce more regularly next term and, while their most recently published accounts showed wages rising to a dangerous 75% of income, the new broadcasting deal offers greater financial stability. Moyes would have signed off with European qualification with the addition of a clinical striker but with Nikica Jelavic enduring a season of torment, and £20m individuals beyond Everton, the team's one glaring weakness cost them. Everton's form in the first half of last season suggests Martínez does not require an overhaul to introduce greater entertainment, but finding that elusively cost-effective option up front would make a major difference.

School of Science history drew me to Everton FC
6 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
The School of science has a new headteacher – and although the summer holidays are only just approaching, Roberto Martinez can’t wait to take his first class. The Spaniard was rarely without a beaming smile throughout his inaugural press conference as Blues boss, and then the mini tour of the Goodison lounges as he spoke to the media at his unveiling yesterday. But he reserved the biggest grin of all for the suggestion he could help his new club to revive the type of football which saw the Toffees labelled as stylists par excellence over decades past. Martinez may have been walking the corridors of the famous ground as manager for the first time, but he admitted to already feeling an affinity for this particular Old Lady. “The idea of the school of science is one of the big reasons why I feel so excited. I know about the past of Everton,” said the 39-year-old.
“I think it’s important we don’t lose what we’ve got. Remember that what Everton achieved last season was a magnificent achievement, and I’m slowly hoping to bring other aspects that I’m sure the fans will appreciate. “I know there are not many grounds left that give you the same thrill as Goodison. The modern stadiums now bring commodities and other assets but I don’t think they bring that traditional feeling that is hard to describe but makes it a special venue to play football.
Read More: Bill Kenwright - Roberto's FA Cup final masterclass convinced me he was the man for us “Playing at home was a big strength of this Everton side last season and something that I’m really looking forward to feeling. I know the fans make it a real experience on a match day.” It may not be a day Evertonians will remember fondly, but Martinez recalls his pride when the home supporters put aside their dismay to applaud his Wigan team off the pitch after their stylish FA Cup quarter-final victory in March. For him it augers well for his decision to take the Blues job after successive summers of declining the advances of clubs like Aston Villa and Liverpool. “I remember the Everton fans applauding my players off and I think that’s a real sign of class,” he said. “You felt that was a gesture of a club with a real special way. I do remember that moment vividly and the appreciation of the stadium. “There is a lot of history and football knowledge in Goodison Park. It was very pleasing to see a club reacting in that manner and how the fans showed their passion for football in general. It showed their values.” Martinez’s footballing values were epitomised on that day; bold, fearless attacking play and an instinct for upsetting the odds through sheer self-belief. They were on display at Wembley again last month. But he insists he is not about to impose a wholesale cavalier change of how Everton played under their highly-respected previous manager. “Football is about winning games and achieving things so it’s important we don’t bring drastic changes straight away,” he said.“It’s about how the players develop into those new ways of playing, and trying to make small tweaks that can help us. It would be stupid for anyone just to come in and try to change the magnificent levels that Everton have showed over the last few seasons. “Good players can play in many positions, and the potential here always excited me. In the modern game you need players who can think on the pitch and be flexible, and clearly this squad has many of them.” Wigan drew, lost, and then won the most important of their trio of games against the Blues last season, and Martinez said his experiences of facing Everton has only made him more enthusiastic about his new role. “Whenever we played against Everton we always knew we were in a game,” he said. “They were usually really close games, and that shows the strength we have here in the dressing room. “I’m really privileged to walk into a dressing room with those values. Now I need to make sure we work hard, build on them and take them to good use.”

Kenwright exclusive: Roberto Martinez's FA Cup final audition convinced me he was right man for us
By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
May
Interview backed up chairman's instinct over offering Spaniard the Everton FC job
Bill Kenwright has overseen many successful auditions in his other, less colourful life, as a theatre impresario. But none at Wembley Stadium. And none while the ‘actor’ auditioning was blissfully unaware of his presence. Yet that was the scene played out during this season’s FA Cup final between Manchester City and Wigan. Just three days after David Moyes had delivered his resignation bombshell, the Everton chairman was at Wembley running the rule over a potential successor. And what he witnessed was akin to Henry Thomas’s legendary screen test for ET. Or the day a dowdy spinster from Scotland made Simon Cowell’s mouth gape with a heart-rendingly beautiful rendition of: “I dreamed a dream.” “I’d gone to Wembley that day not to watch Manchester City and Wigan Athletic but to look at Roberto Martinez,” explained Kenwright. “I watched him and studied him. “In the first 10 minutes I thought it was going to be about 8-0 to City. But he was stood there watching and then slowly they started building and City simply couldn’t get through. “Later, when I met him in my office, he got his iPad out and he showed me the two teams. He used the magnetic counters and he said ‘this is what I did.’ “He went through it tactically and he showed me how he beat City and it was enormously impressive. “It was a little like watching a director telling actors what to do. “Of course at the time of the Cup Final he was the Wigan manager, so I phoned up Dave (Whelan) and said ‘I don’t steal managers, but when you’re ready give us a ring.’ thinking two things. “I thought ‘one’ they were going down and Dave might want to start again, which he didn’t. “And I thought ‘two’. Would the lad, knowing what little I know about him, feel honour-bound to take them back up? “So I needed to give them space to sort that out together.” When they did sort that out, with a parting of the Wigan ways, Martinez sat down on two occasions with the Blues chairman. And each time Kenwright developed a growing sense of certainty that he’d found his man. If Martinez didn’t exactly have him at ‘Hola’ – it wasn’t long after. “I knew I had others to see as well,” said the chairman. “But I work on instinct in my other life and I thought ‘this is great. I’ve met someone who could end the search in my head’. “I’d seen the three lads, Stubbsy, David Weir and Phil Neville, and was so impressed by that three ... so impressed.
“I went through a period of several days thinking ‘I wonder, I wonder, I wonder’ but I decided that the time wasn’t right for them. “And then we started interviewing others. But the fear has got to be there that if you don’t get a David Moyes, then you mightn’t find that person. “It’s like when you’re casting a play, thinking will I find that person? But this is like a hundred times more important because it’s almost like casting the lives of those guys out there, those fans – and you need something that makes you go ‘Wow!’ “Meeting Roberto gave me that feeling of security.
“We did discuss at the first meeting we didn’t want the standards and position David Moyes had achieved to slip: we wanted to build from that and that is the only statement we made. But he said to me ‘What do you want?’ “I told him I wanted to give him what he wanted. “But ask me as a fan and I want the Champions League, of course I do. “I want Europe. “I told him ‘I’ve got to find the way to give you that’ and the way can only be financial. “Then he said ‘you’ve got a fantastic Academy’ and he rolled off all the kids’ names in the Academy. He said ‘you’ve got to build those’.
“And then he started talking about a few footballers who are around and he said ‘can you hold onto your squad?’ I told him ‘they are all on long contracts’ one has a release clause as you know but they’re all under good contracts. “So what I got more than anything from him was a sense of security.” Kenwright also got a sense of a man who understands the Everton psyche – the mindset of football fans who cherish football played in a particular style. It’s a style Martinez has always embraced, first at Swansea and then latterly at Wigan, and there are few arenas in the Premier League where this approach will be more passionately received than at Goodison Park.
Kenwright admits that the prospect of Martinez building on the platform left by David Moyes – but with even more positive, expansive football – and utilising the club’s Youth Academy even more, excites the fan in him. “I said to Roberto there’s a certain style of football which bores me rigid.
“At Everton we love men, we love the School of Science. I told him about the School of Science, in my office. “I pointed up at a picture on the wall and said ‘That’s Ball-Harvey and Kendall. And that’s Roy Vernon and that’s Bobby Collins. My wall is full of it. “He’d never heard of Dave Hickson so I showed him all my Dave Hickson stuff. “But he couldn’t just be a nice guy. He had to be impressive too, and he was. And yes, I am really, really, excited. “It’s a good feeling. It’s a good feeling for someone who hasn’t had a holiday for eight years, for someone who gets his inspiration from his football. “I find football inspirational. “The arena of football is unique and when it’s right it’s inspirational – and I think he could be inspirational.”

Roberto Martinez targeting Champions League football with Everton FC
by Philip Kirkbride, The Liverpool Post
Jun 6 2013
NEW Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he will do all in his power to get the club back playing Champions League football.
The 39-year-old was confirmed as the successor to David Moyes on Thursday, putting pen to paper on a four year deal. Spaniard Martinez becomes Everton’s 14th permanent manager in their history but the first foreigner to take the reins at Goodison Park. The former Swansea City manager says he felt it was the right time to end his four year stint in charge of Wigan Athletic and revealed that Everton always felt a natural fit. Martinez said: “This is a real, real special day. “I come to Everton with a feeling of excitement, honour and I would like to thank the chairman and the board for given me this opportunity. “This is a passionate football club and I can’t wait to get soaked in everything Everton. “The decision came in a natural way. “There was a lot of talking, mainly in the outside and media. “I enjoyed every single second of my time at Wigan but after four seasons I felt it was the right time and knew Everton was the right football club. “It is the right time to be involved in such an exciting challenge. “After four very special years at Wigan it was time to move on. “The circumstances at Wigan are different now. “They are going to play in Europe and trying to get out of the Championship so I felt a new man was needed to take that on. “The only club I felt I could fit in was Everton. “Seeing how passionate the chairman is about this football club meant I wanted to know more and walking into Goodison Park for the first time made me realise that this is a special place.” On his top four ambitions, the FA Cup winning manager said: “You need the time and be hard working enough to achieve that. “The aim of Everton should be to get in to the Champions League.
“That doesn’t mean next season though. “David Moyes has put a platform in place but it is not going to happen overnight or by having a large amount of finances. “You need to be creative and find a way of being competitive. “We want to be in the Champions League but that is going to be a process and take a few steps.” He added: “I am impressed already with Everton. “The fans outside were letting me know how special the club is; I love that passion. I can’t wait to get more involved. I am joining football club that is a big football club and I can’t let the football club down. “We can look at the long, long-term together. I love building football clubs. This is a real exciting prospect.”Martinez admits that he has big shoes to fill after Moyes’ 11 years in charge of the club but he intends to use it as motivation. The former Chester City midfielder wants to build on the foundations laid by the 50-year-old Scot. “There is huge pressure but I’m extremely proud of that pressure because David Moyes has set real standards and had given an incredible platform,” he said.“I am very lucky to carry that work on. “All I want to do is be humble and hard-working enough to take that magnificent job to the next level.”

Antolin Alcaraz in line to be Roberto Martinez’s first purchase at Everton FC
by Philip Kirkbride, The Liverpool Post
Jun 6 2013
ROBERTO MARTINEZ is likely to target defender Antolin Alcaraz as his first signing as Everton manager. The 39-year-old was unveiled as David Moyes’ replacement on Thursday afternoon and will now set about building a new era at Goodison Park. Martinez has already been linked with making a raid on old club Wigan Athletic with several members of the Latics’ squad mentioned as possible targets. Out-of-contract Alcaraz is thought to be amongst those players the Spaniard wants to bring with him to Everton. The 30-year-old Paraguay international missed a large chunk of Wigan’s season and Martinez believes that had the centre-half remained injury-free then they would have avoided relegation. Alcaraz would be available on a free transfer and with the continued uncertainty over the future of John Heitinga - who has been linked with a move to Fenerbahce - the former Club Brugge man looks like an ideal acquisition. Callum McManaman remains another to be under consideration with Martinez overseeing the 22-year-old’s breakthrough season at the DW Stadium. McManaman was a key player in Wigan’s FA Cup success, scoring in the quarter-final against Everton at Goodison Park. However such young talent is likely to come at premium prices for Everton. Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has annoyed sections of the Wigan support by saying no stipulations would be placed on Martinez returning to the club in order to try and sign certain players. But Whelan did stress Everton would not be able to cherry pick their best players on the cheap. Midfielder James McCarthy is gathering a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most promising players but with a £20m valuation on his head, Everton may be priced out of the market.Arsenal and Manchester City are thought to be monitoring McCarthy. Striker Arouna Kone is understood to have a £6.5m buy-out-clause in his contract but it remains unclear if Martinez wishes to bring him to Goodison as well.

NEW EVERTON MANAGER ROBERTO MARTINEZ CAN'T WAIT TO GET GOING
It is a real special day to come to Everton and have this feeling already of excitement and honour
6th June 2013
By Kevin Francis, The Daily Star
ONE of the first telephone calls Roberto Martinez will make from his new office at Everton will be to predecessor David Moyes. Former Wigan boss Martinez was yesterday installed as Goodison Park manager following the defection of Moyes to Manchester United. Martinez’s new chairman Bill Kenwright informed him yesterday that Moyes had telephoned his good wishes as soon as the appointment was made public. Kenwright said: “David told me to tell Roberto that he will always be there for him and that just shows you the kind of character David is.” Martinez, 39, said: “I would be a fool not to take advantage of that offer because I admire David so much. I didn’t want to be cheeky and ring him up without his permission. “But now that he has mentioned it to the chairman that is something I will obviously do. “He has done such a great job here and the fact that he has said he will take the time to talk to me and help me in any way he can is just typical of him. “It will be an incredible chance to speak with him and pick his brains after all the experience he has picked up, particularly here at Everton.” Martinez has signed a four-year contract to become Moyes’ successor at Goodison Park and the Toffees’ 14th permanent manager in 135 years. Martinez leaves Wigan after four years which ended with him winning the FA Cup but also getting relegated. He said: “It is a real special day to come to Everton and have this feeling already of excitement and honour.
“There is huge pressure but I am extremely proud of that pressure because it means what David Moyes did in 11 years is set high standards and lay an incredible platform. "I feel lucky to be able to carry on that work. He has given Everton an identity and an incredible standard. “And all I want to do is be humble and hard-working enough to take this magnificent job to the next level. “It has been a phenomenal time at Wigan but after four seasons this was the right time and I knew Everton was the right club.” Kenwright said: “It was exactly four weeks ago today that David told me he wanted to become the new manager of Manchester United.” And he added: “During the four weeks I have met some of the finest individuals you could meet in football – and the finest of them is sitting next to me now. “It is a great relief, joy and seriously exciting for me that Roberto Martinez has agreed to be the next manager of Everton. “To Evertonians I say, if you had been at the meetings and conversations I have had with your new manager, you will be as thrilled, excited and in awe as I have been.” Kenwright watched Martinez guide Wigan to FA Cup final success over Manchester City last month and added: “I’m not going to say to you it was like David Moyes, who got me in 30 seconds, he took at least 45 seconds! He showed me how he beat Manchester City at Wembley. “I’d gone there to look at Roberto. “He understands the game and he understands Everton. “When you know, you know.”

Roberto Martinez landed lead Everton role after just 45 seconds
AFTER the rehearsal came the matinee before, finally, the command performance.
By: Paul Joyce
Thu, June 6, 2013
Daily Express
Roberto Martinez's FA Cup final performance helped land him the Everton job
Late in the afternoon of May 11, Bill Kenwright rounded off a tiring day of auditions and theatre work by heading to Wembley to watch the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Wigan.
Roberto Martinez would not only go on to lift silverware that day, but take a giant stride towards eventually landing himself the Everton job. “It was out of the blue,” said the Everton chairman. “I went to see Jenny [Seagrove, his partner] in a rehearsal in the morning, in a play she’s doing with Peter Bowles. “I went to see Marti Pellow in Evita in the afternoon, got home at 4.30 in the afternoon, looked at my watch and said, ‘Shall we go and have a look at Roberto?’ “We live on that side of London, so we got there just literally as it was kicking off. And we watched him. The first 10 minutes they were under the cosh, but I just watched him and he was so calm. “You go to matches at Wembley and the great thing about it is that you look at fans who are inspired by their team. The Manchester City fans that day were almost nonchalant, because they were so confident they would win, but slowly I just got the feeling that he was going to do it. Roberto doesn’t flinch from questions about Wigan's relegation Everton chairman Bill Kenwright And then he sent the sub on [Ben Watson] and I said to Jenny, ‘He’s going to score the winner’. “I just found it impressive.”

Kenwright admitted that Martinez had him hooked after “45 seconds” of his subsequent interview, although it took another week before he decided to act on his gut feeling. FC Porto coach Vitor Pereira and former Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick were interviewed and there were expressions of interest from numerous current Premier League managers who viewed relocating to Merseyside as a chance to trade up. While Wigan’s FA Cup triumph allowed Everton to sell Martinez as having achieved something that remained out of reach for David Moyes, their subsequent relegation was football’s flipside. “Instinct is everything with me but, no matter what your instinct is, you have to give this the time and the process,” said Kenwright. “And I suppose at the end of the day, that – plus negotiations – is why it has taken as long as it did. “That [relegation] is one of the things you have to weigh up as you go through the pros and cons, but Roberto doesn’t flinch from those questions. “I asked him, ‘How can you beat Manchester City and X, Y and Z and then not some the others?’ “He told me that had he had his first-choice back-four for the whole season, Wigan would have been top 10. He said, ‘We just had a terrible year with injuries’. “And he told me about his growth as a Wigan manager.” Martinez – having spurned interest from Aston Villa for successive summers in 2011 and 2012 and also having been targeted by Liverpool last year – must now prove himself capable and massage away the doubts that will linger. When he succeeded Steve Bruce in the summer of 2009, Wigan had just finished 11th with 45 points and during four top-flight seasons amassed 47 victories in 152 matches (a win ratio of 30 per cent). In the following four seasons, Martinez won 38 out of 152 games (a ratio of 25 per cent) and saw his side leak 79 goals, 61, 62 and 73 respectively as they finished 16th, 16th, 15th and 18th. Yet he is confident that with better players at his disposal, he could conjure a more impressive set of statistics. “There are two sides of being the next manager of Everton after David Moyes,” said Martinez. “They are big shoes to fill because what David Moyes has done for Everton is incredible. “There are six clubs at the top of the Premier League who work at a different financial level and Everton broke that and didn’t have the right to do that. “That’s an incredible achievement, but not only that because over 11 years he has given very strong values to the team and football club. The club are run in an exceptional manner. “I would rather have that, an exciting and difficult challenge and it will be very difficult to get anywhere near to what David Moyes has achieved. “But it is easier to walk into a position after him than into a football club without any direction, without any real success and one that is starting from scratch. “If you ask me to choose, I will say let me succeed a very successful manager because things are in place already.” Moyes, readying himself for his own challenge at Manchester United, has endorsed the selection of Martinez. “We talked this morning, he talked to me last night from New York and David said, ‘Tell Roberto I am here for him’,” added Kenwright. “He remembered what it was like for him coming from Preston and it [the Wigan job] is not dissimilar.” Everton as a club are, however. The onus is now on Martinez to ensure progress is maintained.

New Everton manager Roberto Martinez wants former Celtic star Aiden McGeady as his first signing
6 Jun 2013 Daily Record
McGEADY is desperate to leave Spartak Moscow after refusing to sign a contract extension and now it seems the new Everton boss is hoping to land him for Goodison Park.
ROBERTO MARTINEZ hopes to make former Celtic star Aiden McGeady his first signing as Everton manager. He immediately turned his attention to landing the Spartak Moscow winger after being unveiled as Goodison Park boss yesterday. McGeady has spent the last three seasons in Russia but after refusing to sign a contract extension Spartak are keen to cash in this summer.
The 27-year-old left Parkhead for a Scottish record £9.5million transfer fee in 2010 although Everton will only have to shell out half that amount to get their man. Fulham and Sunderland are also in the hunt for the Republic of Ireland international, who has made it clear he wants to try his luck in the Premiership. But Martinez is determined not to miss out for a second time after trying to sign him for Wigan during the January transfer window only for the deal to fall through at the 11th hour.
Martinez has already given Everton a list of targets with McGeady’s name featuring at the top. Only last week the winger, currently on international duty in Dublin, admitted he was almost certainly leaving Russia with Spartak prepared to sell now rather than lose him for nothing when his contract expires in 12 months He said: “I have ambitions to play in England and have made it clear I won’t be signing a new contract. I have only got a year left on my contract, so it’s bound to happen. “Maybe Spartak want to cash in on me now because if they don’t there’s a possibility I could leave for nothing. But I am happy there just now. I am easy. I have enjoyed it and we will see what happens.”Martinez has pledged to bring Champions League football to Goodison Park. The Spaniard, who led Wigan to the FA Cup last season, has signed a four-year contract to replace Manchester United-bound David Moyes, who led the Toffees to the Champions League just once during a much-lauded 11-year reign. Everton owner Bill Kenwright revealed one of the 39-year-old’s first assurances was to take the club to the Champions League. He said: “When David Moyes first came to see me he sat down 11 years ago and we were in a bad state, and he said, ‘We’re not going down.’ Almost Roberto’s first words to me were ‘I’ll get you in the Champions League.’” Martinez denied that represented any immediate pressure on his shoulders, clarifying that any lofty ambitions would take time to realise. Everton have been dwarfed by the spending power of their major Premier League rivals, and while Kenwright has pledged to back his new man in the transfer market, Martinez admitted he will have to be creative. The Spaniard said: “The chairman hasn’t put any pressure on me. We have a very strong team and over the next few months we need to get together and make sure we are a winning side. “Finishing in the top six was magnificent for Everton but we need to achieve more. “There are six Premier League teams who are competing at a different financial level to the others. What is true is not always you need the money to achieve your aims. “The aim for Everton should be to get into the Champions League. That doesn’t mean next season but that has to be the aim for the future. “It is not going to happen overnight. In football you need to be creative, find a way to be creative. “We want to be involved in Europe and the Champions League and we need to have the dream to fight for.”

Roberto Martinez's Everton ambition impresses Robert Elstone
6 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Greg O’Keefe
Chief executive excited by future
Everton FC Chief Executive Robert Elstone
Robert Elstone believes new Everton boss Roberto Martinez epitomises the qualities enshrined in the club’s Latin motto. The Blues chief executive said he was instantly impressed upon meeting the Spaniard, and quickly realised during early talks that he is hugely ambitious for the club’s future.
Speaking during the 39-year-old’s official unveiling at Goodison, Elstone expressed his excitement at working with the FA Cup winner, and insisted the former Wigan manager was a natural fit for the Blues. Martinez has already indicated that his long-term aim is to get Everton into the Champions League and build on the progress made by David Moyes. Elstone said: “He’s set the bar very high, but we set the bar very high too. Our Latin motto of Nil Satis Nisi Optimum says it all. Our forefathers were fore-sighted enough to put out a motto which says nothing but the best will do and Roberto just echoed that I think. “He’s not here to maintain the status quo. He’s not here to rest on any laurels. “He’s here to take the club forward which is absolutely what this club is all about.
“That work ethic, that drive, that determination is clearly to be welcomed. Again I would say it will be reflected in everything the club does in support of that. I would say it augurs very well.
“I’m really, really excited. Roberto is really positive about the future. Undoubtedly we have a top manager, and as important as anything I think we have an ‘Everton’ manager “I mean Everton in terms of Roberto’s outlook, his work ethic, the style of play... everything about him is very ‘Everton’ and that’s really important to us – and I’m sure really really important to our fans.” Elstone admitted he watched with interest as the former Swansea boss guided the Latics to FA Cup glory last month – especially after they so ruthlessly dumped Everton out of the competition in March.
“The way in which Wigan came here in the FA Cup and, certainly for a period of the game, absolutely battered us indicates that Roberto knows how to win games,” he said. “Then there was his achievements in the FA Cup final, and when I watched from the second half there was only one winner of that game. It is tremendous credit to the way he develops his tactics and sets up his teams. “To win that final was a fantastic achievement and if Everton are the beneficiary let’s look forward to it. “We’re very excited for the future.” The Toffees chief executive also said the club’s new manager will get the best support possible from the Goodison board. “We’re really excited about rolling up our sleeves and working with a guy who wants to drive the club forward so we’ve got a great team of people here who are ready for that challenge,” he said. “I’m sure Roberto will hold us to that challenge but everything we do is about supporting him so when we’re looking to grow the club, when we’re looking to be more efficient with how we do things, all that is directed in one direction, which is towards Roberto and first team football. “Our achievements over the last decade have been fantastic, and regular top five, sixth or seventh finishes are something we’re very proud of. “But I would emphasises we’re not content with that – it’s about progression.
“We all recognise that the Champions League places are occupied by infinitely wealthier clubs with far greater resources. “Roberto outlined in his press conference that there is more to a successful football club than money. There’s spirit, work ethic, and blending great footballers with positive attitudes can go a long way. I think we can look forward to reaping the benefits of that.”

Roberto Martinez does not need to sell stars, insists Bill Kenwright
London Evening Standard
Andy Hodgson
06 June 2013
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright says new manager Roberto Martinez is under no pressure to sell players this summer. Martinez was grilled on the futures of Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, both of whom have been linked with moves away from Goodison Park, after agreeing a four-year deal with the club yesterday. But Kenwright claims he will back Martinez in the transfer market this summer and insists Everton’s star players are going nowhere. “I’ll give him a few quid to spend,” said Kenwright. “The others are not for sale. We don’t want them to go, they have worked massively hard for this club. “Roberto doesn’t want them to go, he has all their numbers and he will be on the phone asking them not to go. Not one person has even half-indicated they want to go.
“I am confident that squad, plus some Roberto signings, will form this club’s squad for next season.”
Martinez, who led Wigan to FA Cup glory last month, is looking forward to working with Kenwright. He said: “You look at his relationship with the previous manager and I had that at Wigan.
“That is important and I do believe in human relationships allowing to work in football. The chairman really showed a passion for the club from day one and Everton gives me a special feeling.”

Moyes to take Leighton Baines to Manchester United - even if he is powerless to stop Marouane Fellaini leaving the club.
By: James Dickenson
Thu, June 6, 2013
Daily Express
Ever since Moyes was appointed as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor last month, rumours began that he could take his former Everton players Baines and Fellaini with him to Old Trafford. Express Sport reported that Moyes has since prepared a £10 million bid for Baines this summer, while Fellaini - who has a £24m release clause in his contract - is among a shortlist of his targets to improve United's midfield. However, Kenwright has ruled out a mass exodus at Goodison Park this summer, and claimed that unlike former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, Moyes has not been told he can raid his old team for their best players. "I'm not Dave Whelan," said Kenwright after appointing Martinez. "I’ve not said to David [Moyes]: 'David, come on.' I’ve said exactly the opposite. I’ve said to David: 'We all know the situation at Everton. We all know there’s a player who’s got an escape clause, but the others are not for sale.' "I’m as in love with this football squad as any Evertonian out there. They are this club and we don’t want them to go. They have worked massively hard for this club. Roberto doesn’t want them to go either. He’s got all of their phone numbers. "He’s going to be on the phone to all of them saying: 'We don’t want you to go.' And they don’t want to go. Not one person has even half-indicated to me that the change will mean a change for them. Exactly the opposite – they all seem totally committed to it. Baines previously welcomed the possibility that Martinez was set to replace Moyes at Everton, and despite links with United, Chelsea and Italian side Napoli, Fellaini recently reiterated his commitment to the Merseyside outfit.

Roberto Martinez targeting swoops for Aiden McGeady and Antolin Alcaraz
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Neil Jones
Martinez assured by Blues chairman Bill Kenwright that transfer funds would be available this summer
Roberto Martinez settled into his new Finch Farm office yesterday, and the new Everton boss is already preparing to go to work with his first assault on the transfer market. Martinez is ready to swoop for Spartak Moscow winger Aiden McGeady, and is also targeting a move for out-of-contract Wigan Athletic defender Antolin Alcaraz. Martinez was assured by Blues chairman Bill Kenwright that transfer funds would be made available to him this summer, and though doubts remain about the future of several players, most notably Marouane Fellaini, the new manager is ready to move swiftly to bolster his ranks. Top of his agenda will be McGeady, a player he has tracked for some time whilst at Wigan. A deal to take the 27-year-old to the DW Stadium looked to have been set up back in January, only for the former Celtic man to make a last-minute U-turn and opt to remain in Russia, with Martinez admitting his admiration for the player at the time. A move to Everton, however, would be a different proposition. McGeady has recently made it clear that he will not be renewing his contract, which has 12 months left to run, at Spartak, and has expressed his desire to test himself in England after three years in Moscow. “I have ambitions to play in England and have made it clear I won’t be signing a new contract,” he said. “I have only got a year left on my contract, so it’s bound to happen. “Maybe Spartak want to cash in on me now because if they don’t there’s a possibility I could leave for nothing. But I am happy there just now. I am easy. I have enjoyed it and we will see what happens.” It is understood that McGeady, who would bring width and dribbling ability to Everton, would be available for around £4m. He is currently back in the UK after featuring for the Republic of Ireland in their recent friendlies with England and Georgia, and is aware of Everton’s interest, which pre-dates Martinez’s arrival at the club. Former manager David Moyes was also an admirer. The Blues, though, may need to move quickly, with Sunderland and Fulham also credited with an interest in the winger. Alcaraz, meanwhile, would be available on a free transfer once his contract at Wigan expires at the end of this month. The 30-year-old is a player Martinez knows well from his time at Wigan. He brought him to the DW Stadium from Belgian side Club Brugge in 2010, and the Paraguayan went on to make 77 appearances for the Latics over the next three years. He was part of the side which beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final last month.
Martinez is aware that Alcaraz has had fitness issues in the past year. He missed almost six months of last season after tearing his groin whilst on international duty with Paraguay, and struggled with a hamstring problem towards the back end of the campaign. But with Richard Evans, a sports science specialist who worked closely with Alcaraz at Wigan last season, set to follow Martinez to Everton, the new Blues boss is confident that the defender’s fitness will not prove an obstacle to him signing, and is now set to press ahead with the move.

Sceptics will make me work harder says Roberto Martinez
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By David Prentice
“The only thing I want is for every fan to be proud of what we are trying to do" says Blues boss
New Blues boss Roberto Martinez has no problem with people who have questioned his appointment at Everton FC. And he insists the sceptics will only fire him on to work even harder in his new role. The 39-year-old was unveiled at Goodison Park on Wednesday, but his arrival was not universally welcomed after Wigan’s famous FA Cup triumph was tempered by relegation from the top flight. But Martinez is unconcerned. “In football it is normal and you need to have a debate because everyone has an opinion,” he said. “I think it is healthy people are questioning my appointment. “It is something which keeps you desperate to see what you can do and one day turn them around so they are happy with the work you’ve done. “I need to answer all the critics with work and that is nothing different to what I’ve done in the past. “The only thing I want is for every fan at Everton to be proud of what we are trying to do.” Martinez blamed an injury crisis in his back four for Wigan’s relegation last season, with his former side conceding 73 goals. But his Wigan side also scored 47 goals on the way to dropping into the Championship – a tally bettered by only Southampton and Fulham among the sides from ninth place downwards. “We can’t lose the good things that Everton had last season. If you look from a football point of view they were the strongest team at home,” he added. “I am very fortunate to have the players Everton has at the moment. It is an incredible starting point. “The Everton team last season never really showed a weakness.
“What you want to bring is an extra dimension and extra competition for places. “The players know how to always be in games, they always know how to compete and that is something we can’t lose next season. “But we need to bring in some new signings, develop that competition and give us different options on the field. “Slowly we need to bring a couple of players who can help the players in the dressing room. “It is a natural transition and the right time to do it is in pre-season, we need to work on many aspects but more important we don’t lose the phenomenal things they did last season. “In any club you want to go from window to window having a stronger side and that is what we will have to work hard to make sure we don’t let this group of players down.”

Leighton Baines to get Blues contract offer
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Neil Jones
Bill Kenwright insists Everton will do all they can to keep hold of defender
Bill Kenwright insists Everton FC will do all that they can to keep hold of their star names this summer – and will start by offering Leighton Baines a new contract at Goodison Park.
Baines, along with Marouane Fellaini, has been linked persistently with a move away from Merseyside in recent months. David Moyes, appointed as new Manchester United manager last month, is believed to be interested in the pair. But Kenwright has expressed his determination to keep hold of both. Having unveiled Roberto Martinez as his new boss earlier this week, the Blues chairman now intends to speak with Baines about extending his contract with the club. The England left-back's current deal still has two years left to run. "Leighton is under contract and I've told David not to come back for him, although there is nothing to stop him," said Kenwright. "Most of our players, if not all of them, are under good, long contracts at the moment. There has been no back-and-forward dialogue with Leighton about a new contract but that will start. He knows we want him .” Kenwright had revealed at Martinez's unveiling on Wednesday that one Everton player – understood to be Fellaini – had an “escape clause”, which would allow him to negotiate with clubs who meet a set figure. Along with Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are believed to hold an interest in the Belgian, though Everton are yet to receive a bid which would trigger the clause. Kenwright insists the midfielder has not expressed any desire to leave the club at this stage.
He said: "Marouane has given every indication he doesn't want to go. I think people were looking to see what was going to happen with the manager – the players have all been asking me – and Roberto's appointment is a decisive moment for a lot of people. Roberto is looking forward to keeping hold of the players. He rates them all."

Roberto Martinez's main men: Key staff who may join him at Everton
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Nick Hilton
Profiles of backroom staff who have worked with Roberto Martinez in the past
“There’s going to be a large amount of my backroom staff who are going to come with me,” said new Blues boss Roberto Martinez at his introductory press conference on Wednesday. NICK HILTON takes a look at the key staff who have worked with Martinez at Wigan Athletic – and who may join him at Goodison Park next season.
GRAEME JONES
MARTINEZ' assistant manager at Wigan Athletic and Swansea City before that.
PLAYING CAREER
Jones was a strong and mobile striker during his playing days, featuring for a number of lower division English clubs as well as three Scottish clubs.
Born in Gateshead in March 1970, Jones began his playing career at non-League Bridlington Town before joining Doncaster Rovers in 1993.
He built a reputation as a combative target man who was also able to run the channels. He was Doncaster's leading scorer for two successive seasons between 1993 and 1995.
Jones first met up with Martinez when he moved to Wigan Athletic and in the 1996-97 campaign struck a rich vein of form, scoring a club League record of 33 goals that still stands.
Wigan won the Third Division title and Jones was named in the all-star divisional team at the end of that season.
Jones left Wigan in 1999, spending three seasons playing for St Johnstone, where he helped them to a Scottish Premier League high of a fifth placed finish.
He went on to have spells with Southend United, Boston United, Clyde, Bury and Hamilton, being forced to retire through injury at the age of 36 in 2006.
COACHING CAREER
After hanging up his boots, Jones took up the role of assistant to manager Billy Reid at Hamilton Academicals in 2006. A year later he teamed up with Martinez at Swansea City, working as his number two. He quickly built a reputation as a high class coach, good communicator and a strong disciplinarian.
When Martinez moved to Wigan, Jones went with him.
Even though Jones has no track record as a manager in his own right, he was on St Johnstone's wanted list in November 2011 and approached by Swansea City last summer when the South Wales club were looking for a replacement for Brendan Rodgers. He was linked to Burnley when they were seeking a replacement for Eddie Howe in October 2012.
On each occasion Martinez made it clear he wanted to keep Jones at his side.
GRAHAM BARROW
WIGAN Athletic’s manager when Martinez first arrived in the UK in 1995, Barrow returned to Wigan to join Martinez’ backroom staff as first team coach in 2009.
PLAYING CAREER
Born in Chorley on June 13, 1954, Barrow spent the early part of his playing career in non-league, working as a heating engineer to bolster his football earnings.
A strong, no-nonsense defender or midfield player, Barrow had spells with Chorley, Southport and Altrincham. He was a member of the Altrincham side beaten 4-1 by Liverpool in an FA Cup third round tie at Anfield in January 1981.
He entered the world of League football at the age of 27 when he signed for Wigan in August 1981.
Barrow helped Wigan win promotion under manager Larry Lloyd and had made 212 appearances for the Latics by the time he left for Chester City in 1986. He played on for a further eight seasons with Chester, and from 1988/89 doubled as assistant to manager Harry McNally.
COACHING/MANAGEMENT
Barrow succeeded McNally in the final weeks of the 1992/93 season and a year later guided Chester back to the third tier. However, Barrow resigned soon afterwards over a lack of backing from Chester’s owners, and rejoined Wigan.
Barrow was happy to work with the three Spanish players signed by Wigan’s ambitious owner Dave Whelen - Roberto Martinez, Isidro Diaz and Jesus Seba.
However, he was dismissed by Whelan and moved on to Rochdale, where he managed from 1996 to 1999.
Barrow had a second, less comfortable spell at Chester working under American owner Terry Smith. He then managed Bury after a spell as No2 to Andy Preece, and later worked as assistant to Graham Heathcote at Altrincham.
Barrow was reluctant to join Martinez at Swansea in 2007 but accepted a similar offer when the Spaniard took over at Wigan two years later.
KEVIN REEVES
FORMER England international worked with Martinez as chief scout at Swansea City and Wigan Athletic.
PLAYING CAREER
Reeves, born in the Hampshire town of Burley on October 20, 1957, began his playing career with local club Bournemouth. He played 63 games for the Cherries before he was sold to Norwich City for £50,000 in January 1977.
He played 133 games for the Canaries scoring 42 goals, all bar five in Division One league matches. He also won the first of two full England caps against Bulgaria in November 1979. Reeves became Norwich's first £1million sale when he joined Manchester City in March 1980.
At Maine Road, Reeves made 130 appearances for Manchester City scoring 34 times including a penalty in the 1981 FA Cup final replay defeat to Tottenham. He joined Burnley in August 1983 but was forced to retire in January 1984 with an arthritic hip injury at the tender age of 26.
COACHING CAREER
Reeves worked on the coaching staff at Burnley before moving into amateur football with Boston Town, Barrow and Yeovil Town. He joined Birmingham City as youth coach under John Bond from February 1986 to May 1987. He moved to Crewe as PFA representative and spent a short spell at Stockport before teaming up with Bryan Flynn at Wrexham in November 1989 as assistant manager.
The pair's long spell at The Racecourse came to an end in September 2001 when they both left the club "by mutual consent."
The partnership was restored in September 2002 when Bryan Flynn was named Swansea's director of football with Reeves appointed as his first team coach. They succeeded in lifting the Swans off the bottom of the Third Division and signed new two year deals in May 2003.
But the pair were sacked less than a year later.
When Martinez moved from Swansea to Wigan in June 2009, he took Reeves and assistant Graeme Jones with him.
INAKI BERGARA
GOALKEEPER coach from Spain who worked with Martinez at Swansea and Wigan.
PLAYING CAREER
Bergara, born in Ondarroa, Biscay on January 26, 1962, began his career in his native Basque Country with Athletic Bilbao, and represented Spain under-18's in 1980.
He made his professional debut with Deportivo Alavés, signing for Real Murcia in La Liga in 1986 and remaining in the top division for the following nine seasons, but almost exclusively as a back-up or third-choice.
He also represented Real Sociedad and CD Logroñés, for whom he played 19 league matches during the 1994–95 season.
COACHING CAREER
After retiring from playing, Bergara began working as a goalkeeper coach, first with Javier Clemente at the club where he began his career, Athletic Bilbao. In 2007, he joined countryman's Roberto Martínez's backroom staff at Swansea City.
In the summer of 2009, when the manager left for the Premier League to sign for Wigan Athletic, Bergara joined him.
DENNIS LAWRENCE
FORMER Trinidad and Tobago international who worked as development squad coach at Wigan.
PLAYING CAREER
Lawrence’s reputation was established through his playing career which lasted 16 years and saw him earn 89 caps for his country.
In the UK he played for Wrexham (more than 200 games between 2001 and 2006), Swansea City and Crewe Alexandra.
On the international stage he scored the goal that qualified Trinidad and Tobago for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in a 1-0 victory over Bahrain.
At the World Cup in Germany, he played every minute of every match, including games against Sweden, Paraguay and England.
Lawrence also spent time as the captain for his national side after the retirement of Dwight Yorke.
COACHING CAREER
Lawrence started his role as a coach at Wigan Athletic in 2009 as part of Roberto Martinez’s staff, working alongside Graham Barrow with the development squad.
RICHARD EVANS
ANOTHER of Martinez's closest allies, who followed the Spaniard to Wigan from Swansea City back in 2009, Evans is set to play a key role in what is an already strong sports science team at Everton.
A former professional who enjoyed a modest playing career, Evans took the decision aged 27 to move into coaching.
He attended an FA-sanctioned course in treatment and management of injuries, held at Lilleshall, and developed an interest in physiotherapy. He picked up a degree in the subject from Brunel University in 2006.
From there, Evans worked his way through a number of roles at Swansea, eventually arriving as head physiotherapist. His relationship with Martinez, who places huge emphasis on the fitness and conditioning of his players, was strong enough that when Wigan came calling, Evans followed him north.
At Wigan, his role evolved, and he assumed greater responsibility. Responsible not just for injury prevention and treatment, but also for the overall fitness of the first-team squad, Evans was key in devising specialised fitness sessions, and handled the club's physiotherapy duties on matchday.
He was overworked last season as the Latics suffered something of an injury crisis, particularly in defence. The likes of Ben Watson, Antolin Alcaraz, Jean Beausejour, Ronnie Stam and Ivan Ramus all suffered serious problems, which ultimately impacted on Wigan's season.
His work, together with highly-rated Blues fitness coach Dave Billows, could be vital under Martinez.

Phil Jagielka excited to work with new boss Roberto Martinez
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
By Phil Jones
Jags: "I am sure our fans will welcome him with open arms"
Phil Jagielka says he is excited at the prospect of working under new Everton boss Roberto Martinez – but admits there will be some uncertainty amongst the squad at first. The new Blues skipper says he is looking forward to forging a strong working relationship with his new manager. “It’s always exciting when a new manager joins a football club,” Jagielka said. “You never quite know what to expect but all you can do as a player is keep working hard, keep doing what you do best and hope that it will be enough to impress the new man. “I don’t know a great deal about the new gaffer personally, but whenever our paths have crossed he always seems to be a really nice guy.
“I am sure our fans will welcome him with open arms. He has a very good CV as a manager and he obviously impressed the chairman enough for him to be offered the Everton job. I am really looking forward to working with him.” Jagielka admitted there will be some apprehension amongst the Everton players initially, as they look to impress the new man in charge. “Of course, there will be a bit of uncertainty amongst the lads at first,” he said. “You never quite know if you’re the new manager’s type of player but he mentioned me as his captain when he spoke to the press so that was nice to hear. “We don’t yet know how he will work, how he will do things, but it’s part and parcel of being a footballer. Managers, just like players, come and go and changes are made along the way. “We’ve got a great squad of players and I am sure one or two more will join us before the start of the season, so it’s up to us to make sure the boss gets off to a good start.”

Everton FC legend Neville Southall to guest at Blue Union meeting
7 Jun 2013 Liverpool Echo
Big Nev set for appearance at Casa on Hope Street
Everton legend Neville Southall is the guest speaker at the latest public meeting of Everton Supporters’ group The Blue Union tomorrow afternoon. The meeting will commence at 1.30pm at the Casa on Hope Street. Organisers say topics for discussion will include fan engagement, the finances of Everton Football Club and the Football Supporters’ Federation’s ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign.

United can have Fellaini for £23m - but Baines stays
7 Jun 2013 Manchester Evening News
Manchester United boss David Moyes has been given the green light to swoop for Marouane Fellaini - but Everton have warned the Reds that Leighton Baines is going nowhere.
Marouane Fellaini in action for Belgium
Manchester United boss David Moyes has been given the green light to swoop for Marouane Fellaini. But Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has warned the new United manager he will not be allowed to take Leighton Baines with him to Old Trafford. Moyes, who looks set to complete the signing of Uruguayan starlet Guillermo Varela, has identified a number of targets since being appointed Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor. Kevin Strootman, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara are also on his radar as he looks to improve the Premier League champions. Kenwright admitted he can do little to prevent Moyes from triggering Fellaini’s £23m release clause – but insisted no other players would be allowed to leave Goodison Park following the appointment of new manager Roberto Martinez. Kenwright said: “I’ve said to David, ‘We all know the situation at Everton. We all know there’s a player who’s got an escape clause, but the others are not for sale. “Roberto doesn’t want them to go and they don’t want to go.” Fellaini has indicated he is happy at Everton, but the Belgian international’s departure could provide Martinez with the funds to spend in the transfer market. Moyes has made midfield strengthening a priority at United following the retirement of Paul Scholes at the end of last season. Anderson is also expected to be one of the first casualties of the Scot’s reign, with a return to Porto a possibility for the Brazilian. Ryan Giggs is likely to play a reduced role next season, with the Welshman turning 40 in November. Moyes wants to provide some more competition for England internationals Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley.
The imminent arrival of Varela from Penarol for an initial fee of £1.5m could provide cover for Rafael at right-back. The fee for the 20-year-old, who recently had a trial at United, could rise by £850,000 based on appearances.