Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Martinez: We won't be distracted by Lukaku speculation


There have been suggestions in Germany that Borussia Dortmund are "more interested than ever" in signing the Belgian striker – Sky Germany have apparently reported that Lukaku was recently shown around BVB's training facility – and could make a move for him this summer, particularly if they qualify for the Champions League.
Martinez was insistent that all the focus is on this week, however, when asked about the talk surrounding his leading scorer at his press conference at Finch Farm today.
"We are in our defining week of the season," the Catalan replied. "If you think we're going to be distracted by any reports, you're mistaken. We're very much focused on what we've got in front of us.
"Romelu has been having a really, really impressive season and it's very important that we all carry on with those standards until the end.
"This week has got nothing to do [with persuading a player like Lukaku has can realise his future ambitions at Everton]. This week has its own meaning and the meaning is that we've been working for 10 months with the highest standards to try and be in a week like this, looking forward to our derby and then, after that, looking forward to a semi-final of the FA Cup.
"You don't earn the right to be in a semi-final of the FA Cup overnight. You have to work really hard, you have to develop a strong mentality and that's what we've done in the last 10 months."
Reader Comments (42)
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2 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:27:40
Such a shame as, when he's on fire, he's unbelievably good.
3 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:33:02
Incredible.
4 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:37:57
Still lets get behind him and the team; a victory at their place would be a great start towards redemption.
5 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:39:43
Everton as a club manager, players and supporters have all lost their way a bit over the past couple of years from 'sin miedo' to very 'miedo' but it could be worse, could be Villa. Hope we all find our mojo soon.
6 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:48:38
7 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:51:25
OmG he's gone too fucking far this time, now you must all witness my RAAAAAAGE!!!!!
(cue 376 posts all copied and pasted from a thread 'Martinez needs shooting in the face with a harpoon' from Oct 2015)
9 Posted 19/04/2016 at 20:15:34
So, with £10 million knocked off he's worth say £55 million.
Still a profit of at least £27 million within 2 years
Enough said. And by the way, he's not even worth £20 million as an all round forward.
10 Posted 19/04/2016 at 20:37:21
11 Posted 19/04/2016 at 20:48:44
12 Posted 19/04/2016 at 20:49:15
14 Posted 19/04/2016 at 21:55:44
We have a core of good quality youngsters, half of which may leave before we ever really see the best of them.
Rom has produced the goods baths so much more to give, Ross, and Stones could also leave while they still have a lot more to give.
People will jump all over Rom because he's 22 and already a proven goal scorer, but Stones and Ross are both English so there stock is also incredibly high. Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal are short of quality English kids, only Man Utd and Spurs have players like ours in regards to being English and they won't be selling.
This season was a great opportunity to do a Spurs/Leicester but basically we blew our chance.
Hopefully we can keep some of the good young players together to build for a bright future with a brave talented manager.
We still have Galloway, Browning, Garbutt, Ledson Dowell and others who are English, plus Besic, Funes Mori, Besic etc who have a lot to offer in the near future.
16 Posted 19/04/2016 at 22:17:11
We know all that matters to you is the cup as you don't do Premier League, do you, Señor. Especially now as you are going to get fired. It worked for Wigan but not for us.
17 Posted 19/04/2016 at 23:11:54
I really hope this mood changes soon as it's really shit being a blue atm.
18 Posted 19/04/2016 at 23:24:21
Losing a semi-final at Wembley would be disappointing; getting battered by that lot tomorrow would be unbearable.
19 Posted 19/04/2016 at 23:28:21
20 Posted 19/04/2016 at 23:35:42
21 Posted 19/04/2016 at 23:39:22
Barkley. I don't get it. Too many flaws to his game. Reckon he'll stay with us and in his mid-20s will be a squad player.
Some decent players coming through the academy (Galloway, Dowell, Davies) but the others always mentioned out of blind faith.
Ledson stalled since lifting the trophy as England captain 2 years ago. Loaned to Cambridge, doing okay but it's League 2.
Garbutt not always first choice at Fulham, doubt he'll carve out a Prem career.
Browning watched Watmore of Sunderland skin him for the U21s a bit back and seen little else to bank hopes on.
These lads will go the same way as others before them (Green, Lundstram, Hope, Long, Irving, Kissock etc...)
22 Posted 19/04/2016 at 00:03:20
23 Posted 20/04/2016 at 07:20:47
In a way, I too, would rather not read it, this repetitive but wholly justified outrage, but at the same time I return to check I am not alone, that others see this, this seeming somnambulant procession to Ignominy. This is unfolding, as if in slow motion, over such a long period that people become more enraged as it appears that nothing is being done; and the car rolls ever more slowly towards the precipice.
I tend to keep it to myself, this rage, this howling at the moon, lyncanthropic and bewildered, a poor man's Jack Nicholson, I tear out my greying hair exhausted at the predicament I find my beloved club (and by association, birth and blood, myself) in. Phew... Good luck soldiers for this evening and the rest of the season.
25 Posted 20/04/2016 at 08:48:52
I'm glad you cleared up the spelling mistake because up until then your post was making no sense whatsoever.
26 Posted 20/04/2016 at 08:48:57
28 Posted 20/04/2016 at 09:54:22
Eugene, you're getting irate about people getting irate... not very congruent. Have a word with the editors for posting the article then? If posted people will communicate their views.
Charlie, agree about Ross. He's another Rodwell. In x amount of years he'll be at a club like Sunderland.
29 Posted 20/04/2016 at 10:25:15
30 Posted 20/04/2016 at 11:53:03
BTW it's a clear as daylight that Lukaku is off. He is having less physical contests if that was actually possible. He may offer us a glimpse of the "beast" in the semi final before reverting to his Kenwynne Jones lite mode for the remaining league games.
31 Posted 20/04/2016 at 12:56:20
32 Posted 20/04/2016 at 13:16:33
33 Posted 20/04/2016 at 13:27:32
It's being reported that he wants to go back to Chelsea. Oh yeah and they can offer you Champions League football.
He owes Everton big time in my book.
34 Posted 20/04/2016 at 14:11:33
I can count on one hand the number of decent along-the-ground through balls he has received all season. Criticism should be directed toward Martinez who expects that, before the ball crosses the half-way line, the entire team must have a kick of it.
35 Posted 20/04/2016 at 14:20:38
But it seems all Lukaku is interested in, is moving on. To many sound bites coming from him regarding Champions League etc.
If he really wants to leave then we should shove him out the door.
36 Posted 20/04/2016 at 15:01:44
37 Posted 20/04/2016 at 15:15:55
That description fits most of our lads. The rest come out even worse.
38 Posted 20/04/2016 at 15:25:15
39 Posted 20/04/2016 at 15:28:23
Once upon a time we had a striker who would attack one of those grass cutters with a header these days we have a striker who wont go in there with his feet.
It's called being brave and having a bit of desire, only every now and then we see him display that.
40 Posted 20/04/2016 at 16:15:35
Lukaku is going to leave, new manager or not.
41 Posted 20/04/2016 at 16:48:19
I agree.
And (in his defence) there's a dead simple question I often ask.
'What is Barkley's position?'
Often people (blues) look confused and answer with 'well...midfield.'
When I get that answer, I respond 'not where does he play, what is his position?'
It's not semantics, I'm genuinely curious.
Because imo, part of the problem re Barkley is that he doesn't know what he's supposed to be doing or where he's supposed to be and consequently, often seems just a yard away from 'the action.'
It seems to me he is a player who would benefit from being told 'see you, you play here - don't worry about the others, let them sort out their positions.'
Would love to see him shoot more (I'd give him a quota, 'I want at least 4 shots a game')
42 Posted 20/04/2016 at 16:56:50
I would love to revert to a simple 4-4-2 again.
43 Posted 20/04/2016 at 16:57:17
44 Posted 20/04/2016 at 19:55:58
45 Posted 20/04/2016 at 23:22:10
Completely got your point, but can't help but feel like what happened tonight was what every blue expected in there own hearts.
I seen our team and was expecting to have a right go, but the fact is we are spineless, we can't defend and we have no guidance from the bench because everyone on there has no right to be at this level.
Red card or not we were destroyed, Lallana should have scored early on and it never stopped, the shite didn't have to step out of 2nd gear.
The game tonight should have been a learning curve for a few, Dowell, Connerly, and Niasse or Brewster.
Others such as Williams, Davies, Galloway and possibly Mason Holgate could have been blooded, along with some experienced players looking to crashgate the semis like Besic, Osman, Pienaar, Kone or who ever.
I suppose it's easy said now, but I did state that this was my opinion on a different thread last week on ToffeeWeb.
We are a shambles of late and I have no idea how Roberto can fix it.
The red shite are the least of our worries, Martinez and Kenwright are the main concerns atm, as they have been for a while now.
46 Posted 21/04/2016 at 13:42:45
As for Stones, I don't know what all the fuss is about; he is way way overrated. Cash in on him because, at the rate he is declining, we will be lucky to get 15 million this time next year.
Barkley could do with laying off the McDonalds and needs a big size 9 up his arse...
47 Posted 22/04/2016 at 10:53:26
If you stay I promise I won't criticise you when you decide to stroll around and offer nothing in many of the games you play. I will ignore the fact that you jump underneath the flight of the ball, get pushed around by smaller players and have the touch of an elephant, just as long as you have the 5 games a season where you look like a world beater....
plllleeeeeeeaaaaaaasssseeeee?
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1 Posted 19/04/2016 at 19:14:47