SOCCER-ENGLAND/EVERTON Martinez says European campaign improves Everton

Record ID: 147151

  • Title: SOCCER-ENGLAND/EVERTON Martinez says European campaign improves Everton
  • Date: 14th July 2015
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (JULY 14, 2015)(REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** WIDE VIEW OF STADIUM EVERTON PLAYERS WALK ONTO PITCH FOR TRAINING EVERTON PLAYERS WARMING UP EVERTON MANAGER ROBERTO MARTINEZ WIDE VIEW OF TRAINING NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PREMIER LEAGUE TROPHY ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE)(English) EVERTON MANAGER ROBERTO MARTINEZ SAYS: "Well yes, I think first of all if
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
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  • Location: Singapore
  • Country: Singapore
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA50CWHSLUM5R7HM33GB84RWF6
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Everton manager Roberto Martinez admitted that last season's disappointing campaign was impacted by the side's run to the last 16 of the Europa League but the Spaniard wants nothing more than to compete in the tournament again.
    In his first season on Merseyside, Everton finished an impressive fifth but were mired in the bottom half of the table for much of the last campaign before they moved up to 11th on a run of good form after their European exit to Dynamo Kiev.
    "I think first of all if the question is "Is a club that is playing in the Europa League going to have an impact in the league?' the the answer is clearly 'yes'," Martinez told reporters on Tuesday (July 14) in Singapore, where the club are playing in the Premier League Asia Trophy.
    "Is different when you are playing in Europe season after season I think you adapt your mentality, you adapt your habits, you get into a position where you can cope with it much easier. We got affected by it but I think we improve immensely, I think psychologically it is very tough," added the Spaniard ahead of Wednesday's (July 15) opening game against Stoke City.
    Arsenal and a Singapore Select XI are the other teams in the lucrative pre-season event.
    "We want to be in those situations. We want to be, as Everton, playing in Europe year after year," Martinez said. "That is something which is becoming harder and harder, in our league, as you can imagine because there are probably five teams that are preparing this season to win the title and then you have got another three or four teams who have financial backing to try to get into Europe, so it becomes harder and harder but that is, that has to be, our aim and our objective."
    Martinez has brought in a few new signings since the transfer window opened but does not expect any acquisitions similar to the club record 28 million pounds ($43.30 million) they paid for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku a year ago.
    Club captain Phil Jagielka said a strength of the club was the mix of experienced players and young signings.
    "It is the blend we have got," he said. "Obviously last season we did spend a lot of money bringing in one player, you know, the striker that we needed and things like that but I think if you look around the squad it is quite a valuable squad. A lot of youth and potential, but there is a few of us older ones around who have still got a lot to offer and it's nice that the manager and the staff see it that way as well, you know."
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