‘Driven and ambitious’ Martinez pleads to stay at Everton

Roberto Martinez: Watches the action at Wembley

Roberto Martinez: Watches the action at Wembley

Roberto Martinez insists he remains the right man to take Everton forward, despite seeing the pressure heaped on him following their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United.

For  Martinez, the result meant a troubled week got even worse, three days on from his men being thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

That was a seventh straight Premier League game without victory for Martinez’s 11th-placed side, and he had headed into the semi-final amid growing anger towards him from Toffees fans.

There had also been reports suggesting defeat would spell the end of his tenure.

 

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But after giving his view on what he described as an undeserved and “heartbreaking” loss to United, the Spaniard insisted he was the right man to take Everton forward.

“I am,” he said when questioned on the matter. “I’ve become so attached to Everton, and my ambition is exactly the same as the club’s.

“I share the drive the club has, which is getting into the Champions League and situations where we can win silverware.

“I have a very strong drive and will give everything I have to fulfil those expectations.”

He added: “Every season we are developing and reaching certain signs where I feel we can please our fans and bring the silverware they deserve – but clearly, at moments like this of true disappointment, it is very difficult to see through that the real good things we have developed over the last three seasons.”