Roberto Martinez worked magic at Wigan, but like any great magician he’s upping the stakes. The newly appointed Everton manager promised Chairman Bill Kenwright that he’ll bring the Toffees back to the Champions League.
Former manager David Moyes kept a steady ship in Everton, consistently keeping the team in the top half of the table in a league where huge spending became more and more important. But Champions League success eluded the manager.
Everton did qualify for the Champions League once under Moyes, but it was hardly a campaign Everton supporters want to remember. The Toffees had edged out their Merseyside rivals Liverpool for a fourth place finish in the Premier League in 2004/05, but Liverpool managed to sneak back into the competition by winning the Champions League trophy. This forced Everton into the qualifying rounds where they crashed out to Villareal, where a controversially disallowed header would have forced the match into extra time.
Martinez, who signed a four year contract, will have his work cut out for him. Before he even thinks about making a Champions League run, Martinez has two very big decisions to make. He must deal with the futures of Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, probably Everton’s two best players over the past few seasons.
Baines is the best left back in the Premier League, one of, if not the, thinnest positions in the EPL. He created more chances than anyone else in the league last year. Fellaini is a big physical force and can be used in either a holding role or in a more advanced attacking position as he was used for the majority of the 2012/13 campaign. He lead the team with 11 goals and added 5 assists, good for second on the team.
Losing either (or both) would be a huge blow to Everton’s attack, which is not that strong to begin with. They would bring in a lot of money, and for a club that’s perennially strapped for cash, that may be more important. Baines is probably as valuable as he’s ever going to be. He’s 28 years old and coming off his best season. Fellaini’s stock continues to rise and with several top clubs interested in his signature, including former boss David Moyes at Manchester United, Everton won’t be able to hold off his suitors much longer.