Cornish Steve

I'm all for McCarthy and McManaman - plus a young, proven goal-scorer from Europe or South America. Plus, no matter what the budget, it's important to have some depth, otherwise injuries have too big an impact.

Am over the moon right now! It's exciting times. The thing about Martinez is that he prepares well and is a superb strategist/tactician. Everyone has said that he'll switch to Wigan's passing and attacking style of play, but I don't see a sudden change at all. Swansea had to play differently to differentiate from the physical play in lower leagues. Wigan had to differentiate because they had neither the budget nor the depth to compete otherwise. With the resources now available, Martinez will likely sit back and carefully consider how he can build on the current approach, slowly but surely tightening things up, maintaining strengths, and addressing weaknesses. I'll bet he'll be putting in 80-hour weeks during the off-season as he researches and considers and experiments and gets to know his new team. It may take a few months before he has a real impact, but then things could really start to happen. Also, given his management style, I would hope that he'd get more out of current players by instilling in them his confidence and passion for the game. So, I'm now supporting a new team! I've enjoyed watching Wigan, even when the team lost. Their demolition of Newcastle last spring was one of the most dominant one-sided displays I've ever witnessed. Their defeat of ManU cost the latter their title. But it's Martinez's detailed and hard-working approach that I find fascinating, so Everton it is for me. They are once again going to become a real powerhouse - Top Four and not just Top Six. Can't wait for the new season to begin!

The Miami times can't be right. They would translate to 9:30pm and midnight. I can see I shall have to schedule a business meeting there close to that date.

In a word, no.

Nice video. It's unfortunate that McManaman made that rash tackle against Newcastle, because he was immediately branded the bad guy. It's a sign of his quality that he didn't let the pressure of bad publicity get to him. Instead, he developed into one of Wigan's best players as the season drew to a close. His true ability was on display for all to see in the FA Cup Final.

To quote a recent article, Then Klopp moved on the Borussia Dortmund and the rest is history. I'm sincerely hoping the same will be said about Martinez in a few years' time.

The club had to, right? Otherwise, it gives Martinez all the chips when negotiating his personal compensation package.

Dave Whelan just couldn't resist stealing the limelight! Still, it sets the stage for an official announcement with all the details.

Since my wife is from Plymouth, I've learned to cope with Devonians. It takes effort though.

Yes, I'm from Cornwall in the UK.

There have been a lot of comments about the weak defensive record at Wigan, and I can see both sides of the argument. On the one hand, injuries plagued Wigan this year. They spent a lot of money (for them) on Ramis, and he was injured early on. Alcaraz was also out injured for many games. At times, Wigan were effectively playing with their reserve defense. Since, as a small club, Wigan doesn't have the depth of other teams, they paid a heavy price. Still, the fact that Martinez convinced the club to bring in Ramis was a good sign. On the other hand, Martinez insists that defenders play their way out of trouble at the back instead of simply hoofing the ball up the field. If, while pursuing that strategy, a mistake is made, it can lead to an easy goal. This year, I've noticed that Wigan did sometimes just clear the ball without passing it, so I'd say that strategy has been modified a little. With an awesome defense already in place, and combined with the slick passing approach that Martinez demands, I'd say the future will be really bright at Everton. Now it's a case of waiting for the official announcement!

I hope I'm not jumping the gun. Retaining a keen interest in the Premier League despite having lived for many years in the US, I've supported Wigan while Roberto Martinez has been at the helm. Honestly, I support the manager more than the team, because he's by far the smartest in the league. If he is indeed about to become the new manager of Everton, then you have a new supporter - if you'll let me in. Incidentally, the moment that the Mourinho announcement was made, it was clear that Everton would wait another day before announcing their decision. It should be a big splash and not overshadowed by Chelsea's comings and goings.