Aiming for the Champions League? Damn Right!

[Khalekan]

Great post, Tubey.

I loved that fighting talk from our new manager.

Let's hope the era of talking down our chances and dampening expectations is gone for good.

 

[peteblue]

Great opening post. When we won the cup in 95, where did we finish in the league ?, that's right, no one gave a sh*t because we won a big shiny cup that our name went on. Go for it and win or lose, but go for it..........

 

[Jags..class]

We've been aiming for the CL spots for most of the last decade; got there once and came close several other times. Just because Bill blurted out that it was Martinez' ambition to get us there again doesn't mean that there has been a massive change in policy regarding what can be achieved in the near future.

The fact that Moyes dampened fans' expectations via his comments to the media could be a tad irritating, but anyone with any nous could read through the lines - what he was saying was for public consumption only and a different thing was being said in private to the players. That some took his comments on face value is their issue. To claim that our ambitions have suddenly changed now that we have a new manager is well wide of the mark IMO.

Yeah behind doors, he was telling the players that we were aiming for CL but he wasn't brave enough to do this in public for some reason.

 

[davek]

Just to go back to the point of Tubey's OP: I think it's a massive misinterpretation of what Martinez has actually said. It's building a view on behalf of the new manager around the injudicious statement of Kenwright that he'd promised him CL football. In every interview he's conducted so far RM has been pretty circumspect in what's achievable, in fact, he's been trying his hardest to undo the damage Kenwright did. His take on the CL places is that half a dozen other clubs operate on a different type of finance level and that the 'dream' should be to get amongst that and claim one of the top four spots, but it wont come overnight and it's a longer term objective. I dont see that as different fundamentally to what Moyes was saying.

 

[Jags..class]

Just to go back to the point of Tubey's OP: I think it's a massive misinterpretation of what Martinez has actually said. It's building a view on behalf of the new manager around the injudicious statement of Kenwright that he'd promised him CL football. In every interview he's conducted so far RM has been pretty circumspect in what's achievable, in fact, he's been trying his hardest to undo the damage Kenwright did. His take on the CL places is that half a dozen other clubs operate on a different type of finance level and that the 'dream' should be to get amongst that and claim one of the top four spots, but it wont come overnight and it's a longer term objective. I dont see that as different fundamentally to what Moyes was saying.

Good post, I did that the bit when he said we can be strong enough and work together and we can beat anyone, Moyes never inspired us before massive games. This is where I hope Martinez shines.

 

[davek]

Good post, I did that the bit when he said we can be strong enough and work together and we can beat anyone, Moyes never inspired us before massive games. This is where I hope Martinez shines.

He'll defo have a different attitude to Moyes in certain respects: not being afraid to take on the 'elite' clubs on their own grounds being one. I do feel sorry for him though that he's had his back to the wall straight away trying to define just what he can achieve here because Kenwright couldn't hold his tongue. I suppose what I'm saying is that talk on forums of Martinez being more up for pushing on for the CL spots than Moyes is just more unnecessary pressure heaped on the new man. No one should have that unreal level of expectancy. I certainly didn't have it for Moyes. The financial realities are too overwhelming to make the top four anything other than 'the dream' that Martinez rightly describes it as. And all the talk about 'well if we'd got that win there and that win in that game' is just clutching at straws and belongs in the 'if my auntie had a dick she'd be my uncle' category. Those extra wins and points come from having a class, in-depth squad. That's what the clubs who have that depth pay out all that money for - to have them in waiting for such key moments in the campaign. We're way off that. We just had a great season and still missed out on CL football by 10 points and an avalanche in GD.

Martinez needs to be given a break here not buried under a ton of wishful thinking.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Talk's cheap, but I agree with the gist of the OP's view.

I hope Martinez doesn't look to change too much too soon, as we're not a 'sick puppy', we need evolution not revolution at Goodison.

One thing I hope he does add to the side though, is genuine pace. It's the one major thing that we largely lacked under Moyes for the best part of his tenure.

 

[Blue_Berry]

Good post, I did that the bit when he said we can be strong enough and work together and we can beat anyone, Moyes never inspired us before massive games. This is where I hope Martinez shines.

With one or two notable exceptions mate. Like against ManU first game of last season - that was a very inspired performance (albeit first game of the season an' all...). Tbh we were up for it against Citeh at home and Arse away, and we should have stuffed Chelsea away last game. I think the tide was turning under Moyes - after 11 bloody years!!

Roberto has a very good platform if he can keep everyone and build a couple.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

It's unrealistic Tubey because we can't match any of the teams above us for spending

We'd need EVERYTHING to fall into place for us to get in the top 4

It's not impossible with the squad we have but it is highly unlikely

Until we spend the money the Arsenals, Spurs, United's, Cities and Chelsea's do, they'll be ahead of us

Simple maths

All we can do at the moment is aim to win every game we play and hope someone above us slips up

As fans, we need to support the team and hope they can get results against the established top 4 (And beat Liverpool at Anfield FFS!)

 

[Coach]

Just to go back to the point of Tubey's OP: I think it's a massive misinterpretation of what Martinez has actually said. It's building a view on behalf of the new manager around the injudicious statement of Kenwright that he'd promised him CL football. In every interview he's conducted so far RM has been pretty circumspect in what's achievable, in fact, he's been trying his hardest to undo the damage Kenwright did. His take on the CL places is that half a dozen other clubs operate on a different type of finance level and that the 'dream' should be to get amongst that and claim one of the top four spots, but it wont come overnight and it's a longer term objective. I dont see that as different fundamentally to what Moyes was saying.

Despite you trying to build it up as being a terrible thing Kenwright has done, Martinez doesn't see it that way:

After Kenwright revealed what Martinez had told him about his ambitions for the
club, the Spaniard said Everton needed "to keep building" on his predecessor's
success

"The chairman has not put any pressure on me," he said. "It is simple to take
this job, really.

"The fans need to know they are the most important part of this club, and I
will need them. What David Moyes has done is set a real high standard.

"We need to make sure we are a winning side and a strong side, who can carry
on achieving more.

"Finishing in the top six was a magnificent achievement, and we need to keep
building if we want to improve on that."

Seems pretty clear to me.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Before everyone leaps in with "Why do you support the team if you don't think we can get top 4" comments, I support this team for more reasons than success on the field

I want that obviously, but I'm not going to be mad if we don't get Champions League. We're just not able to compete when it comes to money. Top 6 is not an achievement you should sing from the roof top, but it's not anything to be ashamed of when you consider the teams above us. It was only 10 points as well. If we had money to spend, we could buy a player or two and shave the difference down. That isn't a possibility right now

All we can do as fans is buy our tickets and support the team in hope that a potential investor would come by, see the support, and think the club would be a worthwhile investment

However, we are a team who should be above relegation scrapping and, if this or any manager had us in that position with the squad we currently have, questions would need to arise IMO

 

[somuchfun]

I'm still a bit underwhelmed about his appointment but I agree that his attitude doesn't reek. IMWT.

 

[Aidey9]

Good post Tubey!.

It's really refreshing to here are manager speak so positively and if he can rub off on the players in that manner then who knows what we can achieve?!.

Like Martinez as said himself, it won't happen over night and us Evertonians get that but I'm sure he's going to give it a bloody good go from the off!.

I just hope he gets some decent backing this summer with funds, even if it is only 10-15 million so he can make some shrewd signings and get all the current squad on board and give this season a really good go!.

With how positive Martinez is, with is demeanour and the way he wants to play the game, I think we can be a surprise package next season. I think that positivity and with the way he wants to play the game, it will bring a positive effect on all the players and bring a new lease of life to em, especially the likes of Mirallas, Pienaar, Gibson who like to play good football, and Jela may benefit from it hugely aswell!.

So who knows what next season may bring?!.

 

[davek]

Despite you trying to build it up as being a terrible thing Kenwright has done, Martinez doesn't see it that way:


Seems pretty clear to me.

He said 'the chairman hasn't put any pressure on me' in a jokey 'oh yes he has' way, as anyone who heard him say it will tell you.

Really, if you haven't caught the 'rowing back' by Martinez from Kenwright's millstone comments in the couple of days since that press conference you simply haven't been listening/reading.

 

[Coach]

Spin.

It is clear what he said.