Martinez: Youth talent is the biggest strength of our football club
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that the departures of Alan Irvine and Alan Stubbs from the Everton academy set up won’t be a loss and says that the focus is on the programme rather than the individuals.
It is testament to the good work the club does with its yoot that Irvine and Stubbs both got manager positions at West Bromwich Albion and Hibernian respectively and Martinez says that the young players at Everton nearly always succeed and that the academy is the clubs biggest strength.
Martinez said: “The Academy is more of a focus of the football club, rather than having individuals.
“We have fantastic coaches and fantastic people ready to help that path and we will always make sure our youngsters have every opportunity to develop.
“But that’s where the focus is; not on the coaches – it’s in the quality of the youngsters and the programme that allows them to fulfil that potential.
“Over the years we have seen that irrespective of who the coaches are, the talent comes through, and that will always be the biggest strength of our football club.”
“There will always be a lot of effort and intention in creating a good path for our youngsters and we’ll make sure that path to the first team is there,” Martinez added. “We will carry on being innovative and use modern ways to develop our youngsters and give them the opportunities we always have.”
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