Is Martinez our best signing this year?

[MaineEvertonian]

I don't think the start will be as bumpy as many expect. I like what I've seen so far, and we already have two friendlies down and five more pre-season games to go. As the squad starts to become full and all the players make appearances, we'll have had 7 games to adjust to Martinez. I understand pre-season is quite different from the Premier League, but it's not like we'll be showing up against Norwich with no idea how to play Martinez's brand of football. I'm quite impressed so far, but as many have said--time will tell. Heck, Kone might score 20 and we'll all be blown away by that signing too. It's football. You just never know.

 

[allen]

Yes but what I mean is a local trophy won't get more people know/support Everton. Perhaps doing well in the league will because it is a long progress and the Premier League has a global market.

The FA Cup isn't a 'local trophy.'

Honestly, I don't care about our international profile. Not in the slightest.

 

[SerenityNigh]

Not for me. The Premier League is the one we shall aim to do well. Winning a cup won't raise a club's reputation in the globe. If you go though 38 games and get 4th, that will.

This. Did you ever hear a transfer target say, "I know they're not in the Champions League this year, but they won the Budweiser FA Cup, so that's exciting..."

 

[MaineEvertonian]

The FA Cup isn't a 'local trophy.'

Honestly, I don't care about our international profile. Not in the slightest.

Yeah I mean our international profile was the big selling point for our new badge and look at how that turned out. A trophy and 6th is a massive success. I mean Shakhtar Donetsk have been in the Champs League in some capacity nearly every year, how's their international profile? It's about winning trophies and finishing as high up the table as possible. That will increase our international profile regardless as the Prem is the biggest league in the world.

 

[hktoffee]

Yeah I mean our international profile was the big selling point for our new badge and look at how that turned out. A trophy and 6th is a massive success. I mean Shakhtar Donetsk have been in the Champs League in some capacity nearly every year, how's their international profile? It's about winning trophies and finishing as high up the table as possible. That will increase our international profile regardless as the Prem is the biggest league in the world.

Raising our international profile is important because we have more chance to be bought buy some rich lads. Yeah and getting rid of Kenwright.

 

[MaineEvertonian]

Raising our international profile is important because we have more chance to be bought buy some rich lads. Yeah and getting rid of Kenwright.

Agree to an extent, but I think our stadium situation and location are more of a sticking point for potential new ownership.

 

[hktoffee]

Agree to an extent, but I think our stadium situation and location are more of a sticking point for potential new ownership.

The stadium situation is tricky. Location isn't a huge problem. Liverpool has two big teams. Manchester has two as well. Citeh was bought by rich Arab. Fulham was bought by some rich lads twice even its stadium is like an old cows shead.

 

[SerenityNigh]

It's about winning trophies and finishing as high up the table as possible. That will increase our international profile regardless as the Prem is the biggest league in the world.

Trophies have nothing to do with the table. Players want competition: EPL and CL (and Euro, to a lesser extent). Winning Cups is exciting, but not as exciting as CL or Euro play.

Some players want to play in a certain location (especially near home) but you don't hear transfer targets talk about how exciting MLS or Ligue 1 is for them. Nobody is interesting in moving to the A-League. Who ever said they wanted to sign with Real Madrid to win the Copa Del Rey?

If RM wins a Cup I'll be as excited as everyone else. But let's not act like that's a worthwhile goal.

 

[davek]

Trophies have nothing to do with the table. Players want competition: EPL and CL (and Euro, to a lesser extent). Winning Cups is exciting, but not as exciting as CL or Euro play.

Some players want to play in a certain location (especially near home) but you don't hear transfer targets talk about how exciting MLS or Ligue 1 is for them. Nobody is interesting in moving to the A-League. Who ever said they wanted to sign with Real Madrid to win the Copa Del Rey?

If RM wins a Cup I'll be as excited as everyone else. But let's not act like that's a worthwhile goal.

How can winning a cup competition not be worthwhile? Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger would give you an argument on that.

Our tongues are hanging round our knees for another taste of silverware.

 

[Jags..class]

Not for me. The Premier League is the one we shall aim to do well. Winning a cup won't raise a club's reputation in the globe. If you go though 38 games and get 4th, that will.

what, winning a cup is much better then finishing 6th, we would have a great day out and great memories, the players will get medals, winner mentality is more important and also another way into Europe which is progress.

 

[D410]

Agree to an extent, but I think our stadium situation and location are more of a sticking point for potential new ownership.

Nah, sale price and the will to sell.

 

[hktoffee]

what, winning a cup is much better then finishing 6th, we would have a great day out and great memories, the players will get medals, winner mentality is more important and also another way into Europe which is progress.

Winning a cup is good but it also depends on the league position. Of course I want us to win a cup but this doesn't mean I will sacrifice our desire to do well in the league.

 

[Jags..class]

Winning a cup is good but it also depends on the league position. Of course I want us to win a cup but this doesn't mean I will sacrifice our desire to do well in the league.

4th is too hard and even Moyes couldn't do it for us, so that leaves us with 5th for Europe which is hard as Spurs and Liverpool will fight for this position, I would take finishing 12th and winning a cup then finishing 6th without a cup.

 

[SerenityNigh]

How can winning a cup competition not be worthwhile? Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger would give you an argument on that.

Our tongues are hanging round our knees for another taste of silverware.

Fair enough. Let me revise: winning a cup is a fine short term goal. If winning a cup is a satisfactory long term goal... we can discuss that elsewhere.

Who ever said they wanted to sign with Real Madrid to win the Copa Del Rey?

 

[nigelcoyb]

A few years ago when I realised Moyes limitations would never change it was depressing, the whole cabal of english league managers were complete and utter shte absolute clones of Moyes. Perhaps they were stamped out in a secret underground factory under the Pennines replete with stock phrases of banal cntery I really don't know. But I knew under Kenwright to play decent football, excite, entertain and actually win something swapping Moyes for another lookey-likey could be terminal.

Then I saw Roberto's Swansea City.

Swansea had been wound up as a club in '85 surviving only to just avoid relegation to the conference in 2003 - minutes away from bankruptcy. Yet Martinez came along in 2007 and rebuilt this most unpromising club he threw the rule book out that says you can't play footy in the lower leagues and won the division bringing in unknowns and players nailed as failures providing the bedrock of what Swansea have today.


I followed his career after seeing Swansea hoping and praying the stars might align one day to bring him here but knew it couldn't happen. Anyone with an inkling could see the impossible task of Wigan but he never gave up, moaned or slunk into depression and it was no surprise Villa come in for him. Lucky Villa I thought...but astonishingly he turned them down and then incredibly (and joy upon joy) he turned down the leper colony at our old place.

It was then I knew - I fckin knew it was destiny absolute fckin destiny he was chosen!

Roberto Martinez is unique he thinks differently to the noddys in the pack because he is intelligent, brave and loyal attributes perhaps only Wenger can boast in the English game.

By god we should be dancing in the streets having Roberto already his work has lifted the spirits - oh yes, he is our most important signing.