Martinez gets Everton with Champions League promise

Roberto Martinez secured a four-year contract at Everton and then promised, “I will get you into the Champions League”.

I wonder if that coat would fit Roberto?

In all but one of his eleven seasons, even with continuity, full support of chairman Bill Kenwright and most fans too, David Moyes couldn’t do that.

So, it's a big, big shout from the incoming Wigan boss.

A lot of the swirling winds of fortune must blow the right way for Everton to overturn the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs to claim fourth and they have no more right to the top table than other, equally ambitious clubs like Liverpool, Newcastle and Villa.

Kenwright couldn't give more moral support to his managers

Martinez now becomes a hostage to those words, whereas perhaps what he should have said at his first Goodison news conference was, “I won a major trophy at Wigan, I’ll do the same at Goodison and help take the club to the next footballing level”, achieveable, open and something Moyes couldn't.

Everton have only employed fourteen managers in their history and Martinez knows he'll be given more time than other clubs who were attracted by his talents.

It was this time last year that he met Liverpool representatives in Miami - but was warned away by his own instincts and those of the very publicly negative comments of his then boss, Dave Whelan. Martinez also turned down Aston Villa twice.

And it's not just the ex-Wigan boss' tactical nous that won him a crack at the Everton job. It's his ability to balance the books. Martinez managed to reduce Wigan's wage bill by 25% in the last four years.

As other clubs avoided such stringent cost-cutting, did that ultimately cost Wigan their place in the Premier League?

There's an undeniable chemistry between the new partnership and looking at Kenwright's relationship with Moyes and Whelan's with Martinez, it does look a very solid appointment - the right platform at the right club.

But what about that big promise?

I’m not saying Martinez isn’t capable of qualifying for the top four. He’s a good tactician – and develops good players. But if he does secure Everton a place in the big-time, his stock will be so high, Kenwright won't be able to keep hold of him.

Dave Whelan said many times that his young Wigan boss would manage a top European club one day and he didn't have Everton in mind when he said it.