Martinez will not waver from purist style
LONDON (Reuters) - Everton manager Roberto Martinez's deeply-ingrained belief in how his teams should play football has earned the Spaniard many plaudits since starting out on his managerial journey in England. A fifth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, when many believed Everton deserved a place in the Champions League, had many suggesting he would land one of the biggest jobs in England or Spain in the not too distant future. Yet, as the Christmas programme looms, the goodwill he enjoyed at Goodison Park last season is in short supply. Eleventh in the Premier League and 13 points worse off than they were this time last year, Everton have regressed and their fans were angry after last Saturday's 3-0 loss at Southampton. If they expect the 41-year-old Catalan to rip up his philosophy of intelligent, passing football and opt for a more direct approach, however, they will be disappointed. After all, he never wavered while establishing the blueprint for Swansea City's rise up the leagues, nor while fighting against top flight relegation with modest Wigan Athletic. "It's not about styles, that doesn't guarantee you results," Martinez, whose side have reached the last 32 of the Europa League, said on Wednesday. "But our style is very clear here at Everton, we are a football club that enjoy playing in a certain manner and we need to master it. That's where the work is." Martinez's faith in what he is doing appears as strong as ever and despite an inconsistent season, he is confident Everton can challenge for a top four place in the New Year. "We haven't been able to be consistent with our results in the league," he said. "It was the first time in the aspect of our performance at Southampton that we let ourselves down. "I'm not concerned in terms of the performance. We are better this season in many aspects. It is a really exciting season because playing in Europe and other competitions gives you an extra dimension. "We can look to the second half of the season and see how we can bridge that gap. I don't think the fourth place is gone."
