Roberto Martínez

Did You Know?

• He obtained a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy while playing for Real Zaragoza and a postgraduate diploma in business management from Manchester Metropolitan University.
• He married his Scottish girlfriend Beth Thomson in June 2009 at St Joseph's Cathedral in Swansea; they met in Scotland in 2002 while he was playing for Motherwell.

Playing career

Martínez debuted for Real Zaragoza's first team in La Liga on 20 June 1993 as a substitute against Atlético Madrid. He spent most of his early seasons with the B team, helping them regain promotion to Segunda División B. In 1994 he returned to Balaguer, where he also ran a football school. He moved to Wigan Athletic on a free transfer in July 1995, joining Jesús Seba and Isidro Díaz as the "Three Amigos." He scored on his debut against Gillingham and finished the 1995–96 season as the club's top goalscorer with 13 goals, earning a place in the Division Three PFA Team of the Year and the supporters' Player of the Year award.

The following season Wigan won the Division Three championship, and Martínez was again named in the PFA Team of the Year, signing a new four-year contract. He received a winners' medal for the 1999 Football League Trophy despite being injured for the final. Released by Wigan in 2001, he signed a three-year deal with Motherwell but made only eight starts and eight substitute appearances before his contract was terminated after the club entered administration.

Managerial career

Martínez took charge of Swansea City in 2007 and lost only once in eleven games, though the team missed the play-offs on the final day after a 6–3 defeat to Blackpool. He won the League One Manager of the Month Award for October 2007, December 2007, and January 2008, and was nominated for February 2008. In April 2008 he signed a new contract as Swansea became League One champions, earning promotion to the Championship, and he received the League One Manager of the Year award in May 2008.

The 2008–09 season began with a 2–0 loss at Charlton Athletic, but Swansea lost only four of the next thirty games, including victories over Reading and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and a 2–0 FA Cup win against defending cup holders Portsmouth. Martínez often stated he would only leave Swansea if forced out, but in June 2009 Wigan Athletic were granted permission to speak with him. He was confirmed as Wigan manager on 15 June 2009, signing a three-year contract worth £1.5 million, with chairman Dave Whelan guaranteeing his job for three years even if the club were relegated.

Style of management

Martínez is credited with establishing Swansea City's possession-based style of play during their League One title campaign, a style that subsequent Swansea managers were chosen to maintain. He implemented a similar approach at Wigan and Everton with varying success. He cites Johan Cruyff's philosophy as an influence, and younger coaches such as Graham Potter and Chris Davies have studied his training methods and principles.