Dennis Lawrence is the latest addition to Roberto Martinez’s backroom team.
The former Trinidad and Tobago international has been appointed as first-team development coach to assist Under-21 manager Alan Stubbs as part of Martinez’s new-look coaching team.
As well as assisting Stubbs in the coaching and development of the Club’s Under-21 side, Lawrence, who also worked under Martinez at Swansea and Wigan, will be involved in ensuring information is filtered down to coaches throughout the Academy set-up.
“That’s the way Roberto has always worked,” Lawrence told evertontv when asked about his new role. “He believes that in order to have continuity and to be able to develop players, the players need to be working similarly to the first team and the coach needs to have an idea exactly what the manager is looking for and exactly what the first-team work is like.
“You’re not saying that you’re then going to go and do the exact same thing but at least you’re working in the same footballing philosophy.
“I’ll be doing the same role I had at Wigan. I’ll be working around the first team and in terms of the Under-21s – Alan Stubbs is obviously the manager – but I will help Alan in whatever way possible.”
The chance to be a part of Martinez’s coaching team once again at Goodison is something he is relishing.
“I’ve had three fantastic seasons with Wigan and I wouldn’t take anything away,” he said. “It’s a very good club, I got on really well with the people there but then obviously when the call comes from the manager himself, I’ve got a good relationship with him, I worked with him as a player, I’ve worked with him as a coach, and I’ve got a bit of loyalty to him because he was the one who got me involved in coaching in the first place.”
Much has been written about Martinez’s attacking philosophy, ideals equally admired by Lawrence.
He said: “In football there’s no wrong or right way in terms of the way you want to play the game but I think the way the manager sees the game being played is the same as I would like to see.
“Hopefully I can bring my experience from playing because some players do learn quicker than others and it’s important you recognise the ones who might be picking up on things a bit quicker and help them understand what the manager wants.”
Meanwhile, Andy Holden, part of David Moyes’ coaching staff, has left the Club.