Roberto Martinez reveals his criteria to return to club management amid Everton links

The Belgium manager has been linked with a return to Goodison Park.
Roberto Martinez has been linked with a return to Everton Roberto Martinez has been linked with a return to Everton
Roberto Martinez has been linked with a return to Everton

Everton are on the hunt for Rafa Benitez’s successor - and Roberto Martinez is among the early names in the frame.

The Spaniard, who previously managed the Toffees between 2013 and 2016, is the favourite with many bookmakers.

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Indeed, reports have suggested that Martinez would be keen on a return to Goodison Park - despite having time remaining on his contract at Belgium.

The 48-year-old’s contract with the Red Flames is set to cover the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, but he has previously made no secret of his desire to return to club management.

Martinez was linked with Tottenham Hotspur over the summer but resisted the temptation to take the job.

So what would encourage Martinez to make the leap back into club management?

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In an October 2021 interview with Goal, he revealed that the ability to build a long-term project would be a key factor in any decision.

But Martinez was clear that he would not think beyond Belgium at that point, and reiterated his happiness in his current role.

“My career shows that I don’t make plans to get to where I am now,” he said.

“I just go from project to project. You learn that you have to be committed to today. In football, if you start thinking ahead, you just drop your performance and underachieve in what you can do.

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“In my case, I am very, very happy in what I am doing, and I am just trying to achieve the next steps. In the end, if I have to arrive at a decision where there’s a door. I will just try to make the best decision for everyone.

“I always say that in football, I believe it is about relationships and football project. It doesn’t matter where it might be in the world, it’s about having the time and means to have a long-term project and build something. That’s what I really enjoy, building something.

“That’s the importance: the person that believes in you, rather than the nature of the league that you are working in.”