BoysInBlue
Player Valuation: £50m
Given that there seems to be a proliferation of 'I'm a little concerned about <insert concern about Martinez>...' threads at the moment, I figured it only fair to redress the balance with something that he is doing really really well with, something that his predecessor did not.
And that's his stance regarding the young players at the club.
Ross Barkley and John Stones are very firmly in his plans, Barkley - people have been crying out for his involvement for a while now, and I think he has played really well in the pre-season games. You can see him growing in confidence. It was also great to see John Stones getting a game. Stones playing 90 minutes vs Juventus and then a full half vs Valencia would really seem to indicate he has forced his way into the managers reckoning, leapfrogging the likes of Shane Duffy and becoming a real challenger to Heitinga as the 3rd centre half.
Martinez seems to be trusting the young players more than Moyes did, and filling them with confidence. He's also given the club the green light to enter the Next Gen series, something that a club of our calibre and standing should have been in years ago. Playing against Europe's elite... associating with Europe's elite is something we should be constantly striving to do.
I'm really optimistic regarding Martinez' stance towards using young players at the club and it should give everyone a lot of hope that the next generation will all get a chance, instead of hitting a glass ceiling like Duffy & co. did under Moyes. Moyes had his favourites and his unshakeable beliefs. Certain players have already commented on how Moyes was/is stuck in his ways, and Martinez' fresh outlook will really give the young players at the club fresh impetus to fight for a first team place.
And that's his stance regarding the young players at the club.
Ross Barkley and John Stones are very firmly in his plans, Barkley - people have been crying out for his involvement for a while now, and I think he has played really well in the pre-season games. You can see him growing in confidence. It was also great to see John Stones getting a game. Stones playing 90 minutes vs Juventus and then a full half vs Valencia would really seem to indicate he has forced his way into the managers reckoning, leapfrogging the likes of Shane Duffy and becoming a real challenger to Heitinga as the 3rd centre half.
Martinez seems to be trusting the young players more than Moyes did, and filling them with confidence. He's also given the club the green light to enter the Next Gen series, something that a club of our calibre and standing should have been in years ago. Playing against Europe's elite... associating with Europe's elite is something we should be constantly striving to do.
I'm really optimistic regarding Martinez' stance towards using young players at the club and it should give everyone a lot of hope that the next generation will all get a chance, instead of hitting a glass ceiling like Duffy & co. did under Moyes. Moyes had his favourites and his unshakeable beliefs. Certain players have already commented on how Moyes was/is stuck in his ways, and Martinez' fresh outlook will really give the young players at the club fresh impetus to fight for a first team place.
Scouse wit? I'm Derek Zoolander?
