Roberto Martinez – It’s In The Genes

Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez writing for the Daily Telegraph
say`s that Spain, who find themselves on the verge of football greatness ahead of tonight`s world cup final against Holland, owe it all to Dutch maestro Johan Cruyff, he was the coach that started the Spanish revolution during his time in charge at Barcelona.

Hardly surprising though, Martinez regards the former Holland player to be the worlds best ever coach and if you just mention the name Cruyff whilst in the company of the Latics boss his eyes sparkle and off he goes talking formations, tactics, youth systems and all things Barcelona.

Taking a closer look though at the article in the Telegraph
and it reveals somewhat the blueprint that Martinez is using to turn the Latics into a force to be reckoned with, he talks about creating a system of play that everyone at the club is comfortable with, through the youth teams, reserves up to the first team squad.

He places emphasis on youth saying it is important ‘to breed the sort of players that thrive in such a style, players of great technical ability and equal tactical awareness`, this in turn creates strength in depth but this, he warns takes time to develop.

Martinez really does believe wholeheartedly in his football philosophy and that the foundations, the youth, is the vital component to producing teams capable of playing the right way to bring success on the football field, maybe the English FA could take a closer look at what he is saying.

Tonights final, should Spain win, will be the pinnacle of this philosophy, the ultimate prize for a country that now has a system of play ‘in its genes` and one that will hopefully bring success to a small club in the North West of England, a club that is going through a transition and laying foundations that will be able to create success in the future because it will be in our genes

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Hope this doesn’t leave us hanging in the last 3